Hypothesis
noun /haɪˈpɒθɪsɪs/ — An educated guess with a structure — a proposed explanation waiting to be tested.
Definition
A proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation; a tentative explanation to be tested by experiment or argument.
Beyond the definition
A hypothesis is disciplined uncertainty — it says: I think this might be true, and here is how I'll find out. It's the courage to be wrong in a structured way. Good science begins not with answers but with well-formed hypotheses.
Origin & history
From Greek hypothesis — a supposition (hypo: under + thesis: placing). What is placed beneath — the foundational supposition on which investigation stands.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Her hypothesis proved wrong in the second experiment — a result she found more interesting than confirmation would have been.
He operated by hypothesis in ordinary life: this is what I think is happening; now I'll test it.
A good hypothesis is falsifiable — if nothing could prove it wrong, it isn't a hypothesis, it's an assumption.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Hypothesis” when the meaning fits your context: A proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation; a tentative explanation to be tested by experiment or argument.
Synonyms
theory, proposition, thesis, supposition, conjecture, postulate
Antonyms
fact, certainty, proof
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Scientist investigating at a microscope
A scientist looks into a microscope at a bench, while conceptual images of cells and microbes appear nearby.
The investigation of unseen life-forms through a lens represents a tentative explanation or theory meant to be tested or observed further, forming the basis for an inquiry.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Hypothesis" mean?
Hypothesis is noun meaning: An educated guess with a structure — a proposed explanation waiting to be tested.. A proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation; a tentative explanation to be tested by experiment or argument.
Where does the word "Hypothesis" come from?
From Greek hypothesis — a supposition (hypo: under + thesis: placing). What is placed beneath — the foundational supposition on which investigation stands.