# epistemic

/ˌɛpɪˈstɛmɪk/ (US) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/epistemic
Updated: 2026-09-28

## Definition

relating to knowledge, how we know things, or how certain we can be about what is true.

For teachers: concerning the nature, grounds, validity, and limits of knowledge or degree of certainty.

## Examples

- Scientists must distinguish between true facts and mere epistemic assumptions.
- The researcher evaluated the model's epistemic confidence when answering complex legal questions.
- Calibrated probabilistic models express epistemic humility by assigning lower certainty to queries that fall outside their training distribution.

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