science

[sahy-uhns]

noun

1. a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws.

   the mathematical sciences.

2. systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation.

3. any of the branches of natural or physical science.

4. systematized knowledge in general.

5. knowledge, as of facts or principles; knowledge gained by systematic study.

6. a particular branch of knowledge.

7. skill, especially reflecting a precise application of facts or principles; proficiency.

   Synonyms: discipline, method, technique, art

science

/ ˈsaɪəns /

noun

1. the systematic study of the nature and behaviour of the material and physical universe, based on observation, experiment, and measurement, and the formulation of laws to describe these facts in general terms

2. the knowledge so obtained or the practice of obtaining it

3. any particular branch of this knowledge

   the pure and applied sciences

4. any body of knowledge organized in a systematic manner

5. skill or technique

6. archaic,  knowledge

science

1. The investigation of natural phenomena through observation, theoretical explanation, and experimentation, or the knowledge produced by such investigation.

2. ◆ Science makes use of the scientific method, which includes the careful observation of natural phenomena, the formulation of a hypothesis, the conducting of one or more experiments to test the hypothesis, and the drawing of a conclusion that confirms or modifies the hypothesis.

3. See Note at hypothesis

Other Word Forms

• antiscience adjective
• interscience adjective
• nonscience noun
• proscience adjective
• subscience noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of science¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin scientia “knowledge,” equivalent to scient- (stem of sciēns “knowing,” present participle of scīre “to know”) + -ia -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of science¹

C14: via Old French from Latin scientia knowledge, from scīre to know

Example Sentences

Ms. Braswell frequently reviews science fiction and fantasy for the Journal.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Rather than what he calls “the art of negotiating, recruiting allies, and avoiding great-power war,” it became a “science of administration” to manage peace.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The limitations of memories are well-known to science; Mr. Rowlands is mostly interested in what they mean for us as humans.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"We came to London in reluctant support of the IMO's Net-Zero Framework. While it lacks the ambition that climate science demands, it does mark a significant step," he said.

Read more on BBC

“What’s happening is the use of the language of real science to sell their products,” says Timothy Caulfield of the University of Alberta, a veteran debunker of pseudoscience and a co-author of the new paper.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• art 
• discipline 
• education 
• information 
• learning 
• skill 
• system 
• technique 

When To Use

Spelling tips for science

The word science is hard to spell for two reasons. It uses two letters to make an [ s ] sound, sc-. It is also an exception to the classic rule: I before E, except after C. In this case, the rule does not apply. How to spell science: First, remember that you learn science in school, another hard word to spell that also starts with sc. Second, remember that science doesn't follow the classic “I before E except after C” rule because the i is pronounced separately from the e that follows it (resulting in a two-syllable word), instead of being pronounced together as a single vowel sound.