Word
hypotheses
Phoneticshy·pothe·ses
US/haɪˈpɑθəˌsiz/
UK/haɪpˈɒθəsˌiːz/
Definition
n. ideas or guesses that explain how something works but have not been proven yet. Scientists test these ideas with experiments to see if they are true.
n. propositions or explanations made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation. The plural form of 'hypothesis'.
Examples
“The scientists tested several hypotheses during the experiment.”
“After reviewing the initial data, the research team developed three competing hypotheses to explain the sudden drop in water quality.”
“While early researchers proposed that the ruins were religious in nature, modern archaeological hypotheses suggest they served primarily as fortified granaries for the surrounding agricultural communities.”
Examples
simple
“The scientists tested several hypotheses during the experiment.”
contextual
“After reviewing the initial data, the research team developed three competing hypotheses to explain the sudden drop in water quality.”
complex
“While early researchers proposed that the ruins were religious in nature, modern archaeological hypotheses suggest they served primarily as fortified granaries for the surrounding agricultural communities.”
Usage
The plural form of 'hypothesis'; follows Greek-root pluralisation patterns where '-is' becomes '-es'.
Pitfall
The hypotheses is interesting
The hypotheses are interesting
Hypotheses is the plural form and requires a plural verb; the singular form is hypothesis.
Real-World Examples
“None of the hypotheses could fully explain year-to-year variations in the sargassum belt.” “Various hypotheses have been proffered as to an assumed original identity.” Scan code
englishreference.com/q/hypotheses