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hypothesis noun
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What does the noun hypothesis mean?
There are seven meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun hypothesis , two of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
Entry status
OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.
How common is the noun hypothesis ?
How is the noun hypothesis pronounced, british english, u.s. english, where does the noun hypothesis come from.
Earliest known use
The earliest known use of the noun hypothesis is in the late 1500s.
OED's earliest evidence for hypothesis is from 1596, in the writing of Earl of Essex.
hypothesis is a borrowing from Greek .
Etymons: Greek ὑπόθεσις .
Nearby entries
- hypothecarious, adj. 1726–
- hypothecary, adj. 1656–
- hypothecate, v. 1693–
- hypothecation, n. 1681–
- hypothecative, adj. 1856–
- hypothecator, n. 1828–
- hypothecium, n. 1866–
- hypothenar, adj. 1706–
- hypothermia, n. 1886–
- hypothermic, adj. 1898–
- hypothesis, n. 1596–
- hypothesist, n. 1788–
- hypothesize, v. 1738–
- hypothesizer, n. 1833–
- hypothetic, adj. & n. a1680–
- hypothetical, adj. & n. 1588–
- hypothetically, adv. 1628–
- hypothetico-deductive, adj. 1912–
- hypothetico-deductively, adv. 1953–
- hypothetico-disjunctive, adj. & n. a1856–
- hypothetist, n. 1852–
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Meaning & use
Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for hypothesis, n..
hypothesis, n. was first published in 1899; not yet revised.
hypothesis, n. was last modified in September 2024.
Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:
- corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
- new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.
Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into hypothesis, n. in September 2024.
Earlier versions of this entry were published in:
OED First Edition (1899)
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OED Second Edition (1989)
- View hypothesis in OED Second Edition
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Citation details
Factsheet for hypothesis, n., browse entry.
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Definition of hypothesis noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
- to formulate/confirm a hypothesis
- a hypothesis about the function of dreams
- There is little evidence to support these hypotheses.
- formulate/advance a theory/hypothesis
- build/construct/create/develop a simple/theoretical/mathematical model
- develop/establish/provide/use a theoretical/conceptual framework
- advance/argue/develop the thesis that…
- explore an idea/a concept/a hypothesis
- make a prediction/an inference
- base a prediction/your calculations on something
- investigate/evaluate/accept/challenge/reject a theory/hypothesis/model
- design an experiment/a questionnaire/a study/a test
- do research/an experiment/an analysis
- make observations/measurements/calculations
- carry out/conduct/perform an experiment/a test/a longitudinal study/observations/clinical trials
- run an experiment/a simulation/clinical trials
- repeat an experiment/a test/an analysis
- replicate a study/the results/the findings
- observe/study/examine/investigate/assess a pattern/a process/a behaviour
- fund/support the research/project/study
- seek/provide/get/secure funding for research
- collect/gather/extract data/information
- yield data/evidence/similar findings/the same results
- analyse/examine the data/soil samples/a specimen
- consider/compare/interpret the results/findings
- fit the data/model
- confirm/support/verify a prediction/a hypothesis/the results/the findings
- prove a conjecture/hypothesis/theorem
- draw/make/reach the same conclusions
- read/review the records/literature
- describe/report an experiment/a study
- present/publish/summarize the results/findings
- present/publish/read/review/cite a paper in a scientific journal
- Her hypothesis concerns the role of electromagnetic radiation.
- Their study is based on the hypothesis that language simplification is possible.
- It is possible to make a hypothesis on the basis of this graph.
- None of the hypotheses can be rejected at this stage.
- Scientists have proposed a bold hypothesis.
- She used this data to test her hypothesis
- The hypothesis predicts that children will perform better on task A than on task B.
- The results confirmed his hypothesis on the use of modal verbs.
- These observations appear to support our working hypothesis.
- a speculative hypothesis concerning the nature of matter
- an interesting hypothesis about the development of language
- Advances in genetics seem to confirm these hypotheses.
- His hypothesis about what dreams mean provoked a lot of debate.
- Research supports the hypothesis that language skills are centred in the left side of the brain.
- The survey will be used to test the hypothesis that people who work outside the home are fitter and happier.
- This economic model is really a working hypothesis.
- speculative
- concern something
- be based on something
- predict something
- on a/the hypothesis
- hypothesis about
- hypothesis concerning
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- It would be pointless to engage in hypothesis before we have the facts.
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