observational

[ob-zur-vey-shuh-nl]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or founded on observation, especially founded on observation rather than experiment.

Other Word Forms

• observationally adverb
• nonobservational adjective
• preobservational adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of observational¹

First recorded in 1825–35; observation + -al ¹

Example Sentences

The study highlights how new observational methods can fundamentally reshape our understanding of the cosmos and how much there still remains to discover in the universe.

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Alongside this, a larger observational study involving 3,000 children will research different types of support and how effective they are.

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Almost all existing UPF research reviewed by the team was observational, which means it cannot directly establish cause and effect.

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This observational approach is regularly undercut, unfortunately, by a heavy-handed soundtrack that makes the film feel less trustworthy.

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They resolve the long-debated origin of the "knee" and provide compelling observational evidence for the role of black hole systems in producing cosmic rays.

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Related Words

• experimental 
• factual