theoretical
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or consisting in theory; not practical (applied ).
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existing only in theory; hypothetical.
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given to, forming, or dealing with theories; speculative.
adjective
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of or based on theory
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lacking practical application or actual existence; hypothetical
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using or dealing in theory; impractical
Other Word Forms
- antitheoretical adjective
- nontheoretic adjective
- nontheoretical adjective
- theoretically adverb
- untheoretic adjective
- untheoretical adjective
Etymology
Origin of theoretical
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
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The selloff may reflect investors’ anxieties about how the deal’s structure as a Reverse Morris Trust, a tax-efficient transaction where the theoretical buyer ends up actually being acquired.
From Barron's
Upcoming galaxy surveys, cosmic microwave background studies, and gravitational wave detectors are reaching the sensitivity needed to examine ideas that were once purely theoretical.
From Science Daily
More successfully, in the 19th century, George Boole—mathematician, logician, theoretical psychologist—“fundamentally changed our understanding of logic,” Mr. Griffiths tells us, by “showing how reason could be captured by a formal system.”
Yet they don’t necessarily capture the scope of the Labs’ innovative capacity, seeing as some Nobels were awarded for theoretical breakthroughs that never led to an immediate technology.
In 2024, a theoretical astrophysicist at the University of Kansas proposed a solution that explained much of this unusual "zebra" pattern.
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
