hypothesis
noun OPAL WOPAL S
/haɪˈpɒθəsɪs/
/haɪˈpɑːθəsɪs/
(plural hypotheses
/haɪˈpɒθəsiːz/
/haɪˈpɑːθəsiːz/
)- [countable] an idea or explanation of something that is based on a few known facts but that has not yet been proved to be true or correct synonym theory
- to formulate/confirm a hypothesis
- a hypothesis about the function of dreams
- There is little evidence to support these hypotheses.
Wordfinder- analysis
- evaluate
- evidence
- experiment
- hypothesis
- laboratory
- research
- result
- science
- study
Collocations Scientific researchScientific researchTheory- formulate/advance a theory/hypothesis
- build/construct/create/develop a simple/theoretical/mathematical model
- develop/establish/provide/use a theoretical/conceptual framework
- advance/argue/develop the thesis that…
- explore an idea/a concept/a hypothesis
- make a prediction/an inference
- base a prediction/your calculations on something
- investigate/evaluate/accept/challenge/reject a theory/hypothesis/model
- design an experiment/a questionnaire/a study/a test
- do research/an experiment/an analysis
- make observations/measurements/calculations
- carry out/conduct/perform an experiment/a test/a longitudinal study/observations/clinical trials
- run an experiment/a simulation/clinical trials
- repeat an experiment/a test/an analysis
- replicate a study/the results/the findings
- observe/study/examine/investigate/assess a pattern/a process/a behaviour
- fund/support the research/project/study
- seek/provide/get/secure funding for research
- collect/gather/extract data/information
- yield data/evidence/similar findings/the same results
- analyse/examine the data/soil samples/a specimen
- consider/compare/interpret the results/findings
- fit the data/model
- confirm/support/verify a prediction/a hypothesis/the results/the findings
- prove a conjecture/hypothesis/theorem
- draw/make/reach the same conclusions
- read/review the records/literature
- describe/report an experiment/a study
- present/publish/summarize the results/findings
- present/publish/read/review/cite a paper in a scientific journal
Extra ExamplesTopics Scientific researchb2- Her hypothesis concerns the role of electromagnetic radiation.
- Her study is based on the hypothesis that language simplification is possible.
- It is possible to make a hypothesis on the basis of this graph.
- None of the hypotheses can be rejected at this stage.
- Scientists have proposed a bold hypothesis.
- She used this data to test her hypothesis
- The hypothesis predicts that children will perform better on task A than on task B.
- The results confirmed his hypothesis on the use of modal verbs.
- These observations appear to support our working hypothesis.
- a speculative hypothesis concerning the nature of matter
- an interesting hypothesis about the development of language
- Advances in genetics seem to confirm these hypotheses.
- His hypothesis about what dreams mean provoked a lot of debate.
- Research supports the hypothesis that language skills are centred in the left side of the brain.
- The survey will be used to test the hypothesis that people who work outside the home are fitter and happier.
- This economic model is really a working hypothesis.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- plausible
- bold
- speculative
- …
- construct
- develop
- form
- …
- concern something
- be based on something
- predict something
- …
- on a/the hypothesis
- hypothesis about
- hypothesis concerning
- …
- [uncountable] guesses and ideas that are not based on certain knowledge synonym speculation
- It would be pointless to engage in hypothesis before we have the facts.
Word Originlate 16th cent.: via late Latin from Greek hupothesis ‘foundation’, from hupo ‘under’ + thesis ‘placing’.