speculative

[spek-yuh-ley-tiv, -luh-tiv]

adjective

1. pertaining to, of the nature of, or characterized by speculation, contemplation, conjecture, or abstract reasoning.

   a speculative approach.

2. theoretical, rather than practical.

   speculative conclusions.

3. given to speculation, as persons, the mind, etc.

4. of the nature of or involving commercial or financial speculation.

   speculative ventures.

5. engaging in or given to such speculation.

ˈspeculative

/ ˈspɛkjʊlətɪv /

adjective

1. relating to or characterized by speculation, esp financial speculation

Other Word Forms

• speculativeness noun
• speculatively adverb
• antispeculative adjective
• antispeculatively adverb
• antispeculativeness noun
• hyperspeculative adjective
• hyperspeculatively adverb
• hyperspeculativeness noun
• nonspeculative adjective
• nonspeculatively adverb
• nonspeculativeness noun
• overspeculative adjective
• overspeculatively adverb
• overspeculativeness noun
• semispeculative adjective
• semispeculatively adverb
• semispeculativeness noun
• unspeculative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ˈspeculative¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Late Latin word speculātīvus. See speculate, -ive

Example Sentences

If it’s a speculative asset with hot momentum that you’re chasing for a trade, it’s not a stable store of value.

Read more on MarketWatch

Investors are paying record premiums to secure immediate access to the metal, highlighting the scarcity of available bars in London vaults due to rising speculative demand.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Unlike the brief speculative boom of the early 2000s, which collapsed in 2008, insiders say the current surge in the Indian art market feels more sustainable, going beyond galleries and auctions.

Read more on BBC

But these pronouncements miss what made the internet bust so devastating—and it's about more than just speculative fervor in the stock market.

Read more on Barron's

The committee described crypto as “a speculative and increasingly popular asset class that many investors, but not all, will seek to explore” — comparing bitcoin, specifically, to a scarce asset “akin to digital gold.”

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Related Words

• analytical 
• dangerous 
• experimental 
• hypothetical 
• risky 
• unproved 
• unproven 
• unsubstantiated