Theory Definition
theory
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English
Etymology
From Late Latin theōria, from Ancient Greek θεωρία (“contemplation, speculation, a looking at, things looked at”), from θεωρέω (“I look at, view, consider, examine”), from θεωρός (“spectator”), from θέα (“a view”) + ὁράω (“I see,look”).
Pronunciation
Noun
theory (countable and uncountable; plural theories)
- (obsolete) Mental conception; reflection, consideration. [16th-18th c.]
- 1646, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, VII.19:
- As they encrease the hatred of vice in some, so doe they enlarge the theory of wickednesse in all.
- 1646, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, VII.19:
- (sciences) A coherent statement or set of ideas that explains observed facts or phenomena, or which sets out the laws and principles of something known or observed; a hypothesis confirmed by observation, experiment etc. [from 17th c.]
- 2002, Duncan Steel, The Guardian, 23 May 2002:
- It was only when Einstein's theory of relativity was published in 1915 that physicists could show that Mercury's "anomaly" was actually because Newton's gravitational theory was incomplete.
- 2003, Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything, BCA, p. 118:
- The world would need additional decades [...] before the Big Bang would begin to move from interesting idea to established theory.
- 2002, Duncan Steel, The Guardian, 23 May 2002:
- (uncountable) The underlying principles or methods of a given technical skill, art etc., as opposed to its practice. [from 17th c.]
- 1990, Tony Bennett, Outside Literature, p. 139:
- Does this mean, then, that there can be no such thing as a theory of literature?
- 1998, Elizabeth Souritz, The Great History of Russian Ballet:
- Lopukhov wrote a number of books and articles on ballet theory, as well as his memoirs.
- 1990, Tony Bennett, Outside Literature, p. 139:
- (mathematics) A field of study attempting to exhaustively describe a particular class of constructs. [from 18th c.]
- Knot theory classifies the mappings of a circle into 3-space.
- A hypothesis or conjecture. [from 18th c.]
- 1999, Wes DeMott, Vapors:
- It's just a theory I have, and I wonder if women would agree. But don't men say a lot about themselves when a short-skirted woman slides out of a car or chair?
- 2003, Sean Coughlan, The Guardian, 21 Jun 2003:
- The theory is that by stripping costs to the bone, they are able to offer ludicrously low fares.
- 1999, Wes DeMott, Vapors:
- (countable) (logic) A set of axioms together with all statements derivable from them. Equivalently, a formal language plus a set of axioms (from which can then be derived theorems).
- A theory is consistent if it has a model.
Usage notes
In scientific discourse, the sense “unproven conjecture” is discouraged (with hypothesis or conjecture preferred), due to unintentional ambiguity and intentional equivocation with the sense “well-developed statement or structure”. This is particularly found with reference to the “theory of evolution”, which opponents disparage with “it’s just a theory [conjecture]”, while proponents retort that in this context, theory means instead “well-developed, well-established”.
Synonyms
- See also Wikisaurus:supposition
Holonyms
- (in logic): formal system
Meronyms
- (in logic): axioms
Derived terms
terms derived from theory
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Related terms
See also
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The English word theory was derived from a technical term in Ancient Greek philosophy. The word theoria, θεωρία, meant "a looking at, viewing, beholding", and referring to contemplation or speculation, as opposed to action. Theory is especially often contrasted to "practice" (from Greek praxis, πρᾶξις) a Greek term for "doing", which is opposed to theory because theory involved no doing apart from itself.