phenomenological

American  

[fi-nom-uh-nl-oj-i-kuhl] / fɪˌnɒm ə nlˈɒdʒ ɪ kəl /

Rarely phenomenologic

adjective

1. of, relating to, or based on observed or observable facts.

   The researchers opted for a phenomenological investigation rather than a purely theoretical study.

2. Philosophy. of or relating to someone’s awareness or experience of something rather than the thing itself.

   Case study scholars examine a particular phenomenon, while phenomenological scholars examine its essence and meaning as experienced by people in their everyday lives.

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Other Word Forms

• phenomenologically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of phenomenological

phenomenolog(y) ( def. ) + -ical ( def. )

Example Sentences

The model uses a phenomenological approach, focusing on the overall behavior rather than the exact underlying mechanisms that cause electrons to pair into Cooper pairs.

From Science Daily • Apr. 10, 2026

This pining for phenomenological stimulation seems almost reactionary.

From Salon • Oct. 13, 2023

In the case of the latter, a song may break some or all the rules of music theory but still present a phenomenological reality of experiences of joy, pain, angst, or anger.

From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022

“The phenomenological and social dimensions of mental illness have all but disappeared as questions worthy of serious and sustained attention,” he writes.

From Washington Post • Jun. 3, 2022

The new means for information processing allow us to replace the routine of phenomenological observation with processing of diverse languages designed especially to help us create new theories of very complex and dynamic phenomena.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai