theoretical

Often the·o·ret·ic

[thee-uh-ret-i-kuhl]

adjective

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

2. existing only in theory; hypothetical.

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

theoretical

/ ˌθɪəˈrɛtɪkəl, ˌθɪəˈrɛtɪk /

adjective

1. of or based on theory

2. lacking practical application or actual existence; hypothetical

3. using or dealing in theory; impractical

Other Word Forms

• theoretically adverb
• antitheoretical adjective
• nontheoretic adjective
• nontheoretical adjective
• untheoretic adjective
• untheoretical adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of theoretical¹

First recorded in 1610–20; theoretic, from Late Latin theōrēticus, from Greek theōrētikós, equivalent to theōrēt(ós) “to be seen” (verbal adjective derived from theōreîn “to view”) + -ikos -ic; -al ¹

Example Sentences

The 26-member team includes eight Ph.D.s, including Kosowski, a theoretical computer scientist, mathematician and quantum physicist who received his doctorate at age 20.

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There are different kinds of art criticism — theoretical, and academic, two that turn up in different kinds of scholarly journals; trade, sponsored in commercially supported magazines; and journalistic, embedded in press reporting on everyday life.

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Earlier theoretical work on somewhat smaller intermediate-mass black holes had suggested that a gas-enshrouded configuration like this could enable very rapid black hole growth in the early universe.

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The estimated frequency of these annihilation events based on the observed gamma ray intensity also fits within expected theoretical ranges.

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For low and intermediate intensities, the theoretical model captures only part of the experimental behavior.

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Related Words

• abstract 
• academic 
• analytical 
• imaginative 
• intellectual 
• logical 
• metaphysical 
• philosophical 
• speculative 
• vague