Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

epistemic

American  
[ep-uh-stee-mik, -stem-ik] / ˌɛp əˈsti mɪk, -ˈstɛm ɪk /

adjective

  1. of or relating to knowledge or the conditions for acquiring it.


epistemic British  
/ ˌɛpɪˈstiːmɪk /

adjective

  1. of or relating to knowledge or epistemology

  2. denoting the branch of modal logic that deals with the formalization of certain epistemological concepts, such as knowledge, certainty, and ignorance. See also doxastic

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of epistemic

1920–25; < Greek epistēmikós, equivalent to epistḗm ( ē ) knowledge + -ikos -ic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

This epistemic shift has birthed a lucrative wellness industry, featuring all manner of advice, concerns, and devices, where a frightening sales pitch or emotional story takes the place of scientific consensus.

From Slate Apr. 16, 2026

Free inquiry, logical consistency and the evaluation of claims against evidence are epistemic properties that emerge from the training process itself.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 13, 2026

That epistemic humility — the willingness to admit what we don’t know — is increasingly out of step with a public discourse that values performance over inquiry.

From Salon Jul. 13, 2025

Though the actions are similar, there are differences and the Johns Hopkins team surmised observers would be able to detect another person's "epistemic goals" just by watching them.

From Science Daily Nov. 20, 2023

What this view does right is to acknowledge that humans are epistemic agents, meaning they actively search for information and construct their own mental models of the world.

From Salon Oct. 21, 2023

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training