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hypothesis

hypothesis

138 6.1
An idea that may explain something but is not yet proven
  • noun
  • /haɪˈpɒθɪsɪs/
translation icon : hipótesis
  • To find the answer, we need to test our hypothesis with a series of experiments.
  • test the hypothesis
  • support the hypothesis
  • null hypothesis

Weirdly, this would prove that the Riemann hypothesis must be true.

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Examples

  • And how might we test that hypothesis, General?

  • And it looks like our hypothesis is being supported.

  • Let me give you a really good hypothesis for this conference.

  • Well, my hypothesis is that it's content at scale.

  • So here is the hypothesis of what could happen.

  • OK, so how does this hypothesis play out?

  • We decided to test a hypothesis and we went really big.

  • So the hypothesis was that maybe they improve diversity.

  • And overall I agree with the underlying hypothesis of that.

  • Cornelius has developed the most brilliant hypothesis.

Synonyms

guess
vshypothesis
768 1.0

An answer or opinion made without enough information

is a suggested explanatory idea proposed to answer a question and needing proof
speculation
vshypothesis
288 4.8

A guess or idea made without enough proof

is a proposed explanation aimed at answering a question, not proven
thesis
vshypothesis
  • Formal
77 6.1

An idea put forward to be proved

is a suggested answer framed as a tentative explanation needing proof
conjecture
vshypothesis
43 7.8

An opinion formed without enough proof, like a guess

offers a tentative explanation suggested as a possible answer
supposition
vshypothesis
23 7.3

An idea that people accept as true without proof

is an idea suggested as an answer but needing proof
surmise
vshypothesis
3 7.9

An idea based on little evidence

is a suggested explanatory idea aimed at answering a question
postulation
vshypothesis
  • Specialized
1 9.3

An idea people accept without proof and use to build an argument

is offered as a possible explanatory answer rather than a basic assumption
surmisal
vshypothesis
9.8

A guess without enough facts

is a suggested explanation used as a possible answer that needs proof

Antonyms

1.0

Something that can be shown to be true, not an opinion

certainty
  • Literature
202 3.4

A strong feeling that something is true or will happen

Compounds

An idea that intelligent aliens visited Earth long ago and helped early humans

Avogadro's hypothesis
  • Specialized
7.1

Equal volumes of different gases at the same temperature and pressure contain the same number of molecules

nebular hypothesis
  • Specialized
9.9

A theory that the sun and planets formed from a spinning cloud of gas and dust

An idea that aliens visited and met people on Earth long ago

9.9

A theory that says the solar system formed when small space rocks stuck together by gravity

How Supported

law
  • Specialized
206 5.0
theory
3.2
hypothesis
138 6.1
hunch
159 4.7
guess
768 1.0

Surface Forms

hypothesis singular
hypotheses plural

Morphology

hypothesis = thesis (opaque) = hypo + thesis

Although the word is historically built from the classical elements hypo- and thesis, the modern meaning 'a proposed explanation' is not straightforwardly recoverable from those parts for most learners.

Etymology

Hypothesis comes from Greek parts hypo- 'under' and -thesis 'a placing', and it is related to the word thesis. Think of it as an idea 'placed under' the facts to see if it holds, which is why a hypothesis is a suggested explanation that still needs testing.