A hypothesis is an idea which is suggested as a possible explanation for a particular situation or condition, but which has not yet been proved to be correct.
[formal]
To test this hypothesis, scientists can construct a simplified laboratory experiment.
Different hypotheses have been put forward to explain why these foods are more likelyto cause problems.
Synonyms: theory, premise, proposition, assumption More Synonyms of hypothesis
hypothesis in British English
(haɪˈpɒθɪsɪs)
nounWord forms: plural-ses (-ˌsiːz)
1.
a suggested explanation for a group of facts or phenomena, either accepted as a basis for further verification (working hypothesis) or accepted as likely to be true
Compare theory (sense 5)
2.
an assumption used in an argument without its being endorsed; a supposition
3.
an unproved theory; a conjecture
Derived forms
hypothesist (hyˈpothesist)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Greek, from hupotithenai to propose, suppose, literally: put under; see hypo-, thesis
an unproved theory, proposition, supposition, etc. tentatively accepted to explain certain facts or (working hypothesis) to provide a basis for further investigation, argument, etc.
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈtheory
Word origin
Gr, groundwork, foundation, supposition < hypotithenai, to place under < hypo-, under + tithenai, to place: see hypo- & do1
Examples of 'hypothesis' in a sentence
hypothesis
What we need is a general hypothesis to explain merger waves.
Charles A. D'Ambrosio & Stewart D. Hodges & Richard Brealey & Stewart Myers Principles of Corporate Finance (1991)
Various hypotheses have been put forward to explain this increase.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We have only been able to test this hypothesis once.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The findings support the hypothesis that taller and shorter people see the world differently.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Consider how much observed behaviour my hypothesis explains.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Different hypotheses have been put forward to explain why these foods are more likely to offend.
Holford, Patrick The Family Nutrition Workbook (1988)
The point is to test different hypotheses to determine which craving is driving your routine.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Some tantalising if preliminary results that could support this hypothesis also emerged this week.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Note specific points of agreement or disagreement with the theory or hypothesis you were testing.
Porush, David A Short Guide to Writing About Science (1995)
How can empirical evidence be assembled to provide rational support for a hypothesis?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
How could you test such a hypothesis?
Bee, Helen The Developing Child (7th edn.) (1995)
His wonderful behaviour with you when his mother is not around supports this hypothesis.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Further support for the hypothesis is obtained from data for more narrowly defined groups of countries.
Forstner, Helmut, Ballance, Robert Competing in a Global Economy (1990)
Country data also provide evidence supporting the hypothesis.
Forstner, Helmut, Ballance, Robert Competing in a Global Economy (1990)
His colleagues must surely be asking themselves whether they really need to test this hypothesis before making a change.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
First, that the lifestyle concept suggests hypotheses which are true by definition and therefore trivial.
Walklate, Sandra Victimology - the victim and the criminal justice process (1989)
An experiment is normally designed to test a specific hypothesis, a particular causal explanation.
Bee, Helen The Developing Child (7th edn.) (1995)
There is less support for asthma and eczema and very little to support the view that the hygiene hypothesis explains the rise in food allergy.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
How to test this hypothesis?
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
Clearly, then, there is no tidy hypothesis to explain this.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
After following a cohort of men for 28 years, they found that their hypothesis was indeed true.
McKenzie, James F. & Pinger, Robert R. An Introduction to Community Health (1995)
This research probably needs further work to test and prove its hypotheses, but it seems very helpful, like that into infant mortality.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It is important to know if your results support or contradict your initial theory or hypothesis, or are simply inconclusive; all such findings must be reported.
Appelbaum, Richard P. Sociology (1995)
Quotations
It is a good morning exercise for a research scientist to discard a pet hypothesis every day before breakfastKonrad LorenzOn Aggression
In other languages
hypothesis
British English: hypothesis NOUN
A hypothesis is an idea which is suggested as a possible explanation for a particular situation or condition, but which has not yet been proved to be correct.
Work will now begin to test the hypothesis in rats.
American English: hypothesis
Brazilian Portuguese: hipótese
Chinese: 假设
European Spanish: hipótesis
French: hypothèse
German: Hypothese
Italian: ipotesi
Japanese: 仮説
Korean: 가설
European Portuguese: hipótese
Latin American Spanish: hipótesis
All related terms of 'hypothesis'
Gaia hypothesis
the theory , formulated by English scientist James Lovelock (born 1919), that the earth and everything on it constitutes a single self-regulating living entity
null hypothesis
the residual hypothesis if the alternative hypothesis tested against it fails to achieve a predetermined significance level
hypothesis testing
the theory, methods, and practice of testing a hypothesis concerning the parameters of a population distribution (the null hypothesis ) against another (the alternative hypothesis ) which will be accepted only if its probability exceeds a predetermined significance level, generally on the basis of statistics derived from random sampling from the given population
nebular hypothesis
the theory that the solar system evolved from the gravitational collapse of nebular matter
working hypothesis
a suggested explanation for a group of facts or phenomena, accepted as a basis for further verification
alternative hypothesis
the hypothesis that given data do not conform with a given null hypothesis: the null hypothesis is accepted only if its probability exceeds a predetermined significance level
Avogadro's hypothesis
the principle that equal volumes of all gases contain the same number of molecules at the same temperature and pressure
continuum hypothesis
the assertion that there is no set whose cardinality is greater than that of the integers and smaller than that of the reals
planetesimal hypothesis
the discredited theory that the close passage of a star to the sun caused many small bodies to be drawn from the sun, eventually coalescing to form the planets
Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
the theory that human languages determine the structure of the real world as perceived by human beings, rather than vice versa, and that this structure is different and incommensurable from one language to another
Chinese translation of 'hypothesis'
hypothesis
(haɪˈpɔθɪsɪs) (frm)
Word forms:plhypotheses (haɪˈpɔθɪsiːz)
n(c)
(= theory) 假设(設) (jiǎshè) (种(種), zhǒng)
(noun)
Definition
a suggested explanation for a group of facts, accepted either as a basis for further verification or as likely to be true
Different hypotheses have been put forward.
Synonyms
theory
He produced a theory about historical change.
premise
the premise that men and women are on equal terms in this society
proposition
the proposition that monarchs derived their authority by divine right
assumption
They are wrong in their assumption that we are all alike.
thesis
His central thesis is that it's crucial to document as many dying languages as possible.
postulate
supposition
There's a popular supposition that we're publicly funded.
premise
the premise that men and women are on equal terms in this society
Quotation
It is a good morning exercise for a research scientist to discard a pet hypothesis every day before breakfast [Konrad Lorenz – On Aggression]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of assumption
Definition
something that is taken for granted
They are wrong in their assumption that we are all alike.
Synonyms
presumption,
theory,
opinion,
belief,
guess,
expectation,
fancy,
suspicion,
premise,
acceptance,
hypothesis,
anticipation,
inference,
conjecture,
surmise,
supposition,
presupposition,
premise,
postulation
in the sense of premise
Definition
a statement that is assumed to be true and is used as a basis for an argument
the premise that men and women are on equal terms in this society
Synonyms
assumption,
proposition,
thesis,
ground,
argument,
hypothesis,
assertion,
postulate,
supposition,
presupposition,
postulation
in the sense of premise
Definition
a statement that is assumed to be true and is used as a basis for an argument
the premise that men and women are on equal terms in this society