the·o·ry

(thē′ə-rē, thîr′ē)

n. pl. the·o·ries

1. A set of statements or principles devised to explain a group of facts or phenomena, especially one that has been repeatedly tested or is widely accepted and can be used to make predictions about natural phenomena.

2. The branch of a science or art consisting of its explanatory statements, accepted principles, and methods of analysis, as opposed to practice: a fine musician who had never studied theory.

3. A set of theorems that constitute a systematic view of a branch of mathematics.

4. Abstract reasoning; speculation: a decision based on experience rather than theory.

5. A belief or principle that guides action or assists comprehension or judgment: staked out the house on the theory that criminals usually return to the scene of the crime.

6. An assumption based on limited information or knowledge; a conjecture.

[Late Latin theōria, from Greek theōriā, from theōros, spectator : probably theā, a viewing + -oros, seeing (from horān, to see).]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

theory

(ˈθɪərɪ)

n, pl -ries

1. a system of rules, procedures, and assumptions used to produce a result

2. abstract knowledge or reasoning

3. a speculative or conjectural view or idea: I have a theory about that.

4. an ideal or hypothetical situation (esp in the phrase in theory)

5. a set of hypotheses related by logical or mathematical arguments to explain and predict a wide variety of connected phenomena in general terms: the theory of relativity.

6. a nontechnical name for hypothesis¹

[C16: from Late Latin theōria, from Greek: a sight, from theōrein to gaze upon]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

the•o•ry

(ˈθi ə ri, ˈθɪər i)

n., pl. -ries.

1. a coherent group of general propositions used as principles of explanation for a class of phenomena: Darwin's theory of evolution.

2. a proposed explanation whose status is still conjectural.

3. a body of mathematical principles, theorems, or the like, belonging to one subject: number theory.

4. the branch of a science or art that deals with its principles or methods, as distinguished from its practice: music theory.

5. a particular conception or view of something to be done or of the method of doing it.

6. a guess or conjecture.

7. contemplation or speculation.

Idioms:

in theory, under hypothetical or ideal conditions; theoretically.

[1590–1600; < Late Latin theōria < Greek theōría observing, contemplation, theory =theōr(eîn) to observe (see theorem) + -ia -y³]

syn: theory, hypothesis are used in non-technical contexts to mean an untested idea or opinion. A theory in technical use is a more or less verified or established explanation accounting for known facts or phenomena: Einstein's theory of relativity. A hypothesis is a conjecture put forth as a possible explanation of phenomena or relations, which serves as a basis of argument or experimentation to reach the truth: This idea is only a hypothesis.

the·o·ry

(thē′ə-rē, thîr′ē)

A set of statements or principles devised to explain a group of facts or phenomena. Most theories that are accepted by scientists have been repeatedly tested by experiments and can be used to make predictions about natural phenomena. See Note at hypothesis.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	theory - a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena; "theories can incorporate facts and laws and tested hypotheses"; "true in fact and theory" reductionism - a theory that all complex systems can be completely understood in terms of their components explanation - thought that makes something comprehensible law of nature, law - a generalization that describes recurring facts or events in nature; "the laws of thermodynamics" hypothesis, theory, possibility - a tentative insight into the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena; "a scientific hypothesis that survives experimental testing becomes a scientific theory"; "he proposed a fresh theory of alkalis that later was accepted in chemical practices" blastogenesis - theory that inherited characteristics are transmitted by germ plasm preformation, theory of preformation - a theory (popular in the 18th century and now discredited) that an individual develops by simple enlargement of a tiny fully formed organism (a homunculus) that exists in the germ cell scientific theory - a theory that explains scientific observations; "scientific theories must be falsifiable" field theory - (physics) a theory that explains a physical phenomenon in terms of a field and the manner in which it interacts with matter or with other fields economic theory - (economics) a theory of commercial activities (such as the production and consumption of goods) atomist theory, atomistic theory, atomic theory, atomism - (chemistry) any theory in which all matter is composed of tiny discrete finite indivisible indestructible particles; "the ancient Greek philosophers Democritus and Epicurus held atomic theories of the universe" holism, holistic theory - the theory that the parts of any whole cannot exist and cannot be understood except in their relation to the whole; "holism holds that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts"; "holistic theory has been applied to ecology and language and mental states" structural sociology, structuralism - a sociological theory based on the premise that society comes before individuals structural anthropology, structuralism - an anthropological theory that there are unobservable social structures that generate observable social phenomena
	2.	theory - a tentative insight into the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena; "a scientific hypothesis that survives experimental testing becomes a scientific theory"; "he proposed a fresh theory of alkalis that later was accepted in chemical practices" hypothesis, possibility concept, conception, construct - an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances hypothetical - a hypothetical possibility, circumstance, statement, proposal, situation, etc.; "consider the following, just as a hypothetical" gemmule - the physically discrete element that Darwin proposed as responsible for heredity framework, model, theoretical account - a hypothetical description of a complex entity or process; "the computer program was based on a model of the circulatory and respiratory systems" conjecture, speculation - a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence); "speculations about the outcome of the election"; "he dismissed it as mere conjecture" supposal, supposition, assumption - a hypothesis that is taken for granted; "any society is built upon certain assumptions" theory - a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena; "theories can incorporate facts and laws and tested hypotheses"; "true in fact and theory" historicism - a theory that social and cultural events are determined by history
	3.	theory - a belief that can guide behavior; "the architect has a theory that more is less"; "they killed him on the theory that dead men tell no tales" belief - any cognitive content held as true egoism - (ethics) the theory that the pursuit of your own welfare in the basis of morality patchwork, hodgepodge, jumble - a theory or argument made up of miscellaneous or incongruous ideas

theory

noun

1. hypothesis, philosophy, system of ideas, plan, system, science, scheme, proposal, principles, ideology, thesis He produced a theory about historical change.
hypothesis fact, experience, practice, reality, certainty

2. belief, feeling, speculation, assumption, guess, hunch, presumption, conjecture, surmise, supposition There was a theory that he wanted to marry her.

in theory in principle, on paper, in an ideal world, in the abstract, hypothetically, all things being equal School dental services exists in theory, but in practice there are few.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

theory

noun

1. Abstract reasoning:

conjecture, speculation.

2. A belief used as the basis for action:

hypothesis.

3. Something taken to be true without proof:

assumption, postulate, postulation, premise, presupposition, supposition, thesis.

Translations

مَبادئ نَظَرِيَّهنَظَرِيَّةنَظَرِيَّه

teorie

teori

teoria

teorija

fræîilegur grundvöllurkenning

teoria teorico teorizzare dottrina in teoria

理論見解学説定理憶測

이론

teoretikasteoretizuotiteorinisteoriškaiteoriškas

teorija

teória

teoretičnoteorija

teoriidé

ทฤษฎี

kuram teori

lý thuyết

理论观念意见

theory

[ˈθɪərɪ] N (= statement, hypothesis) → teoría f
in theory → en teoría, teóricamente
it's my theory or my theory is that → tengo la teoría de que ..., mi teoría es que ...

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

theory

[ˈθiːəri] n

(set of ideas explaining something) → théorie f
Darwin's theory of evolution → la théorie de l'évolution de Darwin

(= hypothesis) → théorie f
I have a theory that ... → ma théorie, c'est que ...
there was a theory that ... → on croyait que ...

(rules and principles forming basis of subject) → théorie f
music theory → solfège m

in theory (= theoretically) → théoriquement

theory

n → Theorie f; in theory → theoretisch, in der Theorie; theory of colour/evolution → Farben-/Evolutionslehre or -theorie f; he has a theory that … → er hat die Theorie, dass …; well, it’s a theory → das ist eine Möglichkeit; he always goes on the theory that … → er geht immer davon aus, dass …

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

theory

[ˈθɪərɪ] n (statement, hypothesis) → teoria
in theory → in teoria

theory

(ˈθiəri) – plural ˈtheories – noun

1. an idea or explanation which has not yet been proved to be correct. There are many theories about the origin of life; In theory, I agree with you, but it would not work in practice.

2. the main principles and ideas in an art, science etc as opposed to the practice of actually doing it. A musician has to study both the theory and practice of music.

ˌtheoˈretical (-ˈreti-) adjective

ˌtheoˈretically (-ˈreti-)

adverb.

ˈtheorize, ˈtheorise verb

to make theories. He did not know what had happened, so he could only theorize about it.

ˈtheorist noun

theory

→ نَظَرِيَّة teorie teori Theorie θεωρία teoría teoria théorie teorija teoria 理論 이론 theorie teori teoria teoria теория teori ทฤษฎี kuram lý thuyết 理论

the·o·ry

n. teoría.

1. conocimientos relacionados con un tema sin verificación práctica de los mismos;

2. especulación u opinión que no ha sido probada científicamente.

theory

n (pl -ries) teoría