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

Over time, however, observational and experimental evidence has increasingly supported Dudley's view.

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A "huge amount" of observational research, often based on surveys, has tracked a correlation between teen tech use and worse mental health, she told AFP.

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By studying over 19 years of observational data, astronomers managed to get a good understanding of Ammonite's flight path through space.

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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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Related Words

• experimental 
• factual