the study, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of the nature and behaviour of phenomena in the physical and natural world
Nowadays, the unqualified word ‘science’ usually refers to natural and physical science, excluding not only metaphysics and theology but even technology. Technology uses science for human purposes, but science itself is the disinterested study of the real world. Science transcends nations and cultures, and normally proceeds by inventing hypotheses and systematically testing them against observation and, especially, experiment — Professor Richard Dawkins
a branch of systematized knowledge as an object of study
Moral philosophy, or the science of human nature, may be treated after two different manners — David Hume
something, e.g. a skill or technique, that may be studied or learned systematically
the science of boxing
archaic knowledge or the possession of knowledge, esp as distinct from ignorance or misunderstanding
For between true science and erroneous doctrines, ignorance is in the middle — Hobbes
[Middle English via French from Latin scientia knowledge, from scire to know]