Found 2 items, similar to Hypotheses.
English → English (WordNet) Definition: hypotheses hypothesis n 1: a proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations 2: a tentative theory about the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena; “a scientific hypothesis that survives experimental testing becomes a scientific theory”; “he proposed a fresh theory of alkalis that later was accepted in chemical practices” [syn: possibility, theory] 3: a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence [syn: guess, conjecture, supposition, surmise, surmisal, speculation] [also: hypotheses (pl)] hypotheses See hypothesis
English → English (gcide) Definition: Hypotheses Hypothesis \Hy*poth"e*sis\, n.; pl. Hypotheses. [NL., fr. Gr. ? foundation, supposition, fr. ? to place under, ? under + ? to put. See Hypo-, Thesis.] 1. A supposition; a proposition or principle which is supposed or taken for granted, in order to draw a conclusion or inference for proof of the point in question; something not proved, but assumed for the purpose of argument, or to account for a fact or an occurrence; as, the hypothesis that head winds detain an overdue steamer. [1913 Webster] An hypothesis being a mere supposition, there are no other limits to hypotheses than those of the human imagination. --J. S. Mill. [1913 Webster] 2. (Natural Science) A tentative theory or supposition provisionally adopted to explain certain facts, and to guide in the investigation of others; hence, frequently called a working hypothesis. Syn: Supposition; assumption. See Theory. [1913 Webster] Nebular hypothesis. See under Nebular.