# empirical

/ˌɛmˈpɪɹɪkəɫ/ (US) · /ɛmpˈɪɹɪkəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/empirical
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 2. a result from observation

noun · CEFR C2 · Academic · Technical

a piece of information or a measurement that comes from a real experiment.

For teachers: a measurement, finding, or result obtained through empirical methods.

- The scientist recorded each empirical in her notebook during the trial.
- The researcher treated each empirical as a discrete data point, refusing to let existing theories bias the interpretation of the raw measurements.

Usage: Rarely used as a noun in general English; almost exclusively found in technical scientific literature.

## Examples

- The scientist collected empirical evidence to prove her theory.
- Researchers are looking for empirical data to confirm that the new teaching method actually improves student grades.
- While the philosophical argument was logically sound, it lacked the empirical support necessary to convince the skeptical committee of its practical application in the field.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.