ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Theory

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /ˈθɪə.ɹi/ · Part of speech noun

Quick meaning: Theory is a noun meaning A description of an event or system that is considered to be accurate.

Meaning

A description of an event or system that is considered to be accurate.

More Meanings

  1. (uncountable) The underlying principles or methods of a given technical skill, art etc., as opposed to its practice.
  2. (mathematics) A field of study attempting to exhaustively describe a particular class of constructs.
  3. (chess and similar games) The standardization and study of fixed sequences of moves, especially in the opening phase of a game.
  4. (informal) A hypothesis or conjecture.
  5. (sciences) A coherent statement or set of ideas that explains observed facts or phenomena and correctly predicts new facts or phenomena not previously observed, or which sets out the laws and principles of something known or observed; a hypothesis confirmed by observation, experiment etc.
  6. (countable, logic) A set of axioms together with all statements derivable from them; or, a set of statements which are deductively closed. Equivalently, a formal language plus a set of axioms (from which can then be derived theorems). The statements may be required to all be bound (i.e., to have no free variables).
  7. (obsolete) Mental conception; reflection, consideration.

Example Sentences

Does this mean, then, that there can be no such thing as a theory of literature?
Lopukhov wrote a number of books and articles on ballet theory, as well as his memoirs.
As they encrease the hatred of vice in some, so doe they enlarge the theory of wickednesse in all.
In its most proper acceptation, theory means the completed result of philosophical induction from experience.

Word Forms

Synonyms for theory

Depending on context, synonyms include joseki, hypothesis, possibility.

Antonyms for theory

Common opposites include praxis.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include hypothesis, possibility, statistically, textbook, addressed, literature.

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Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.