theoretical

[thee-uh-ret-i-kuh l]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR theoretical ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of, relating to, or consisting in theory; not practical (distinguished from applied).

existing only in theory; hypothetical.

given to, forming, or dealing with theories; speculative.

Often the·o·ret·ic.

Origin of theoretical

1610–20; theoretic (< Late Latin theōrēticus < Greek theōrētikós, equivalent to theōrēt(ós) to be seen (verbid of theōreîn to view) + -ikos -ic) + -al¹

Related formsthe·o·ret·i·cal·ly, adverban·ti·the·o·ret·i·cal, adjectivean·ti·the·o·ret·i·cal·ly, adverbnon·the·o·ret·ic, adjectivenon·the·o·ret·i·cal, adjectivenon·the·o·ret·i·cal·ly, adverbun·the·o·ret·ic, adjectiveun·the·o·ret·i·cal, adjectiveun·the·o·ret·i·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for theoretic

abstract, academic, analytical, assumed, conjectural, contingent, general, hypothetic, hypothetical, ideal, imaginative, impractical, intellectual, logical, metaphysical, notional, pedantic, philosophical, problematical, pure

Examples from the Web for theoretic

Historical Examples of theoretic

Speculative or theoretic knowledge is divided into abstract and concrete.
Critical Miscellanies (Vol. 3 of 3)
John Morley
Up to the present the knowledge that she possessed it had been theoretic only.
The Letter of the Contract
Basil King
Its own theoretic level, or at least the quest for a theory, is discarded as frivolous.
The Civilization of Illiteracy
Mihai Nadin
This theoretic inference is completely verified by experiment.
Fragments of science, V. 1-2
John Tyndall
These theoretic subtleties were unintelligible to the people of France.
Lectures on the French Revolution
John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton

British Dictionary definitions for theoretic

theoretic

adjective

another word for theoretical

noun

another word for theoretics

theoretical

theoretic (ˌθɪəˈrɛtɪk)

adjective

of or based on theory

lacking practical application or actual existence; hypothetical

using or dealing in theory; impractical

Derived Formstheoretically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for theoretic

theoretical

adj.

1610s, from Late Latin theoreticus "of or pertaining to theory," from Greek theoretikos "contemplative, pertaining to theory" (by Aristotle contrasted to praktikos), from theoretos "that may be seen or considered," from theorein "to consider, look at" (see theory). Related: Theoretically.

theoretic in Medicine

theoretical

[thē′ə-rĕt′ĭ-kəl]

adj.

Of, relating to, or based on theory.

Restricted to theory; not practical.