the·o·ry (th   -r, thîr)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 the  ria, from Greek theri , from theros, spectator : probably the, a viewing + -oros, seeing (from horn, to see).] |
theory
Noun
pl -ries
1. a set of ideas, based on evidence and careful reasoning, which offers an explanation of how something works or why something happens, but has not been completely proved: the theory of cosmology
2. the ideas and abstract knowledge relating to something: political theory
3. an idea or opinion: it's only a theory, admittedly, but I think it's worth pursuing
4. in theory in an ideal or hypothetical situation: in theory, the tax is supposed to limit inflation [Greek theōria a sight]
| theory (th-r, thîr) 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. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| 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" 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 |
theory
noun 1. hypothesis, philosophy, system of ideas, plan, system, science, scheme, proposal, principles, ideology, thesis << OPPOSITE fact
noun 2. belief, feeling, speculation, assumption, guess, hunch, presumption, conjecture, surmise, supposition
Translations
theory [ˈθɪərɪ] n → Theorie f;
in theory → theoretisch
n theory [ˈθiəri]
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. teorieë نَظَرِيَّه теория teorie teori die Theorie θεωρία teoría oletus, teooria نظریه teoria théorie תֵּיאוֹריָה सिद्धांत teorija elmélet teori kenning teoria 理論 이론, 학설 teorija teorija teori theorie teori, lære teoria teoria teorie теория teória teorija teorija teori สมมติฐาน kuram, teori 意見，觀念 теорія نظريہ lý thuyết 意见，观念
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. teorie مَبادئ نَظَرِيَّه теория teorie teori die Theorie θεωρία teoría teooria بخش نظری teoria théorie תוֹרָה सैद्धान्तिकी teorija elmélet teori fræðilegur grundvöllur teoria 理論 이론, 원리 teorija teorija teori theorie teori teoria teoria teorie теоретические основы teória teorija teorija teori ทฤษฎี kuram, teori 理論 теорія اصول، کليات lý luận, nguyên lý 理论
adj theoˈretical [-ˈreti-]
teoreties نَظَري теоретичен teoretický teoretisk theoretisch θεωρητικός teórico teoreetiline نظری teoreettinen théorique תֵּיאוֹרֶטִי सैद्धान्तिक teoretski elméleti fræðilegur teorico 理論の 이론(상)의 teorinis, teoriškas teorētisks; teorijas- teori theoretisch teoretisk teoretyczny teórico teoretic теоретический teoretický teoretičen teorijski teoretisk เกี่ยวกับทฤษฎี kuramsal, teorik 理論上的 теоретичний نظري، خالص علمي thuộc lý thuyết 理论上的
theoˈretically [-ˈreti-]
adverb. teoreties نَظَرِيّاً теоретично teoreticky teoretiskt theoretisch θεωρητικά teóricamente teoreetiliselt از نظر تئوری teoreettisesti théoriquement בְּאוֹפֶן תֵּיאוֹרֶטִי सिद्धान्त रूप से teoretski elméletileg secara teoritis fræðilega teoricamente 理論上 이론적으로 teoriškai teorētiski dr segi teori theoretisch teoretisk teoretycznie teoricamente (din punct de vedere) teoretic теоретически teoreticky teoretično teorijski teoretiskt ตามหลักทฤษฎี kuramsal/teorik olarak 在理論上 теоретично اصولي طور پر về mặt lý thuyết 在理论上
v theorize, ˈtheorise
to make theories He did not know what had happened, so he could only theorize about it. teoretiseer يَضَعُ نَظَرِيَّه теоретизирам vytvářet si teorie opstille teorier theoretisieren θεωρητικολογώ, διατυπώνω θεωρίες teorizar teoretiseerima نظریه پردازی کردن teoretisoida faire des théories (sur) לִיצוֹר תֵיאוֹריָה सिद्धान्त प्रस्तुत करना teoretizirati, postavljati teorije filozofál membuat teori setja fram kenningu teorizzare, (formulare una teoria) 理論をたてる 이론을 세우다 teoretizuoti teoretizēt membuat teori theoretiseren lage teorier teoretyzować teorizar a face teorii despre теоретизировать teoretizovať teoretizirati teorizovati teoretisera สร้างทฤษฎี kuramlamak 推理(推想) теоретизувати نظريہ پيش کرنا lý thuyết hóa 推理（推想）
n theorist
teoretikus مُشْتَغِل بالأمور النَّظَرِيَّه، مُنَظِّر теоретик teoretik teoretiker der/die Theoretiker(in) θεωρητικός teórico teoreetik نظریه پرداز teoreetikko théoricien/-ienne תֵּיאוֹרֶטִיקָן सिद्धान्ती, अव्यवहारिक व्यक्ति teoretičar elméleti szakember, teoretikus ahli teori kenningasmiður, fræðimaður teorico 理論家 이론가 teoretikas teorētiķis ahli teori theoreticus teoretiker teoretyk teórico teoretician теоретик teoretik teoretik teoretičar teoretiker นักทฤษฎี kuramcı 理論家 теоретик اصول مقرر کرنے والا nhà lý luận 理论家
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