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Theoretical: meaning, definitions and examples

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theoretical

 

[ ˌθiː.əˈret.ɪ.kəl ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

in academic discussions

existing only in theory and not in practice; hypothetical

Synonyms

abstract, conceptual, hypothetical

Examples of usage

  • Theoretical physics deals with the laws of nature at the most fundamental level.
  • His ideas were purely theoretical and had no practical application.
Context #2 | Adjective

related to a particular theory

based on or calculated through theory rather than experience or practice

Synonyms

hypothetical, speculative, theoretic

Examples of usage

  • The theoretical value of the stock price was higher than its actual market value.
  • The experiment confirmed the theoretical predictions made by the researchers.

Translations

Translations of the word "theoretical" in other languages:

🇵🇹 teórico

🇮🇳 सैद्धांतिक

🇩🇪 theoretisch

🇮🇩 teoretis

🇺🇦 теоретичний

🇵🇱 teoretyczny

🇯🇵 理論的 (りろんてき)

🇫🇷 théorique

🇪🇸 teórico

🇹🇷 teorik

🇰🇷 이론적인

🇸🇦 نظري

🇨🇿 teoretický

🇸🇰 teoretický

🇨🇳 理论的 (lǐlùn de)

🇸🇮 teoretičen

🇮🇸 fræðilegur

🇰🇿 теориялық

🇬🇪 თეორიული

🇦🇿 nəzəri

🇲🇽 teórico

Word origin

The word 'theoretical' originated from the Greek word 'theōrētikós', meaning 'relating to the contemplation or study of something'. It entered the English language in the 17th century, primarily used in the context of philosophy and science. Over time, 'theoretical' has come to represent ideas or concepts that are based on theory rather than practical experience.

See also: theorem, theoretic, theorist, theorize.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #2,355, this word belongs to solid intermediate vocabulary. It's frequently used in both casual and formal contexts and is worth learning for better fluency.