hypothesis

C2 Topic:Science & Research

US [haɪˈpʰɑθəsɪs] UK /haɪˈpɒθɪsɪs/ See IPA manual

Freq #11795

Meanings

1

noun
An idea put forward to explain something, which can then be tested.

The scientists ran experiments to test their hypothesis about the disease.
2

noun
Something assumed to be true for the sake of argument.

Let's accept that hypothesis for a moment and see where it leads.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · an idea put forward to... conjecture supposition assumption

2 noun · something assumed to be... assumption guess

Word family

Forms hyphypotheses

Derived forms counterhypothesishypothesisthypothesizehypothetichypothetical hypotheticallymultihypothesissubhypothesis

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

working hypothesis
a provisional explanation used to guide further investigation

Adjective + noun

Etymology

Recorded since 1596, from Middle French hypothese, from Late Latin hypothesis, from Ancient Greek ὑπόθεσις (hupóthesis, “base, basis of an argument, supposition”, literally “a placing under”), itself from ὑποτίθημι (hupotíthēmi, “to set before, suggest”), from ὑπό (hupó, “below”) + τίθημι (títhēmi, “to put, place”). Compare hypothec.

*dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European hypothese Middle French hypothesis la-lat ὑπόθεσις Ancient Greek

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Topics

Science & Research Philosophy & Reasoning

External links

# hypothesis

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** [haɪˈpʰɑθəsɪs]
**IPA (UK):** /haɪˈpɒθɪsɪs/
**Frequency rank:** 11795

## Meanings
1. An idea put forward to explain something, which can then be tested.
2. Something assumed to be true for the sake of argument.

## Examples
- The scientists ran experiments to test their hypothesis about the disease.
- Let's accept that hypothesis for a moment and see where it leads.

## Derived Forms
- counterhypothesis
- hypothesist
- hypothesize
- hypothetic
- hypothetical
- hypothetically
- multihypothesis
- subhypothesis

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *dʰeh₁-
- Root: hypothese
- Root: hypothesis
- Root: ὑπόθεσις
- Affix: hypo- - under

## Etymology
Recorded since 1596, from Middle French hypothese, from Late Latin hypothesis, from Ancient Greek ὑπόθεσις (hupóthesis, “base, basis of an argument, supposition”, literally “a placing under”), itself from ὑποτίθημι (hupotíthēmi, “to set before, suggest”), from ὑπό (hupó, “below”) + τίθημι (títhēmi, “to put, place”). Compare hypothec.

## AI Etymology
Hypothesis is traced through recorded since 1596, from Middle French hypothese, from Late Latin hypothesis, from Ancient Greek ὑπόθεσις (hupóthesis, “base, basis of an argument, supposition”, literally “a placing under”), itself from ὑποτίθημι (hupotíthēmi, “to set before, suggest”), from ὑπό (hupó, “below”) + τίθημι (títhēmi, “to put, place”). Compare hypothec. In present-day use, it can mean an idea put forward to explain something, which can then be tested, or something assumed to be true for the sake of argument. Derived formations include counterhypothesis, hypothesist, hypothesize, hypothetic, and hypothetical.

## Topics
- Science & Research
- Philosophy & Reasoning

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