Word
hypothesis
Phoneticshy·poth·e·sis, stress on the second syllable
US/haɪˈpɑθəsəs/
UK/haɪpˈɒθəsˌɪs/
Definitions
01scientific theory
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Science Academic
n. an idea that explains how something works, which scientists test with experiments to see if it is correct.
n. a tentative conjecture explaining an observation or scientific problem that can be tested through investigation or experimentation.
“The researchers developed a hypothesis to explain why the plants were dying.”
“The team formulated a hypothesis regarding the chemical composition of the soil, which they then tested through a series of controlled laboratory experiments.”
Usage
Often used with the verbs 'formulate', 'test', 'confirm', or 'reject'.
Synonyms
02an assumption
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Academic · Formal
n. something that you assume is true so that you can start a discussion or an investigation.
n. a premise or assumption taken to be true for the purpose of argument or investigation.
“Let us work on the hypothesis that the economy will improve next year.”
“The entire legal argument was built upon the hypothesis that the defendant had no prior knowledge of the contract's specific clauses.”
Teaching tip
In everyday conversation, people often use 'theory' where 'hypothesis' would be more technically accurate.
Synonyms
03logic/math
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Mathematics Technical · Academic
n. the first part of a logical statement, often starting with the word 'if'.
n. the antecedent of a conditional statement; the 'if' clause in a logical implication.
“In the sentence 'If it rains, the ground gets wet', the hypothesis is 'it rains'.”
“The mathematician demonstrated that if the initial hypothesis is false, the resulting theorem cannot be applied to this specific set of integers.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “hypothesis” in context.
Verb
01. confirm hypothesis
“The results of the experiment served to confirm the initial hypothesis.”
verb + noun
02. develop hypothesis
“Researchers spent months trying to develop a hypothesis that explained the data.”
verb + noun
03. evaluate hypothesis
“We need to gather more evidence to evaluate the hypothesis thoroughly.”
verb + noun
04. examine hypothesis
“The study was designed to examine the hypothesis that sleep affects memory.”
verb + noun
05. generate hypothesis
“The preliminary findings helped the team generate a new hypothesis.”
verb + noun
06. reject hypothesis
“If the data contradicts the theory, we must reject the hypothesis.”
verb + noun
07. support hypothesis
“The latest statistics strongly support the hypothesis proposed by the professor.”
verb + noun
08. test hypothesis
“Scientists are conducting trials to test the hypothesis in a controlled environment.”
verb + noun
Adjective
09. alternative hypothesis
“If the first idea is wrong, we must consider an alternative hypothesis.”
adj + noun
10. null hypothesis
“In statistics, the null hypothesis assumes there is no significant difference between groups.”
adj + noun
11. specific hypothesis
“The researcher formulated a specific hypothesis to address the narrow scope of the study.”
adj + noun
Noun
12. hypothesis suggest
“Current findings for this hypothesis suggest that the reaction is temperature-dependent.”
noun + verb
Real-World Examples
“The UNICAMP team tested a hypothesis explaining this difference: model size.” “But we need more evidence to test this hypothesis," concluded Gaetano.” Etymology
Recorded since 1596, from Middle French hypothese, from Late Latin hypothesis, from Ancient Greek ὑπόθεσις (hupóthesis, “base, basis of an argument, supposition”, literally “a placing under”), itself from ὑποτίθημι (hupotíthēmi, “I set before, suggest”), from ὑπό (hupó, “below”) + τίθημι (títhēmi, “I put, place”). Compare hypothec.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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