hard science

American  

noun

1. any of the natural or physical sciences, as chemistry, biology, physics, or astronomy, in which aspects of the universe are investigated by means of hypotheses and experiments.

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hard science British  

noun

1. 1. one of the natural or physical sciences, such as physics, chemistry, biology, geology, or astronomy

   2. ( as modifier )

      a hard-science lecture

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Other Word Forms

• hard scientist noun

Etymology

Origin of hard science

First recorded in 1965–70

Compare meaning

How does hard-science compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• hard science vs. soft science

Example Sentences

Universities with an endowment of $2 million per undergraduate student are asked to waive tuition for students who pursue “hard science” programs.

From The Wall Street Journal

Schools that sign on would have to cap tuition for U.S. students for five years and the wealthiest campuses would not charge tuition at all for students pursuing “hard science programs.”

From Los Angeles Times

“It shows a lot of hard science at work that’s actually going to have an impact on the public and hopefully make people safer,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

From at least the early 20th century era of rocket scientist Jack Parsons, and the shared roots of Pasadena’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Scientology and the occult group Ordo Templi Orientis, the hard science of space exploration has mingled with more esoteric ideas in Southern California.

From Los Angeles Times

“We do highlight the idea and the fact that, environmentally speaking, storms have become more unpredictable. Tornadoes have become more unpredictable as well. That’s just hard science,” Chung said.

From Seattle Times