science
- 01 A1 Beginner
n.the study of the physical world and how it works, based on facts and testing.
n.the systematic enterprise that builds and organises knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe.
Simple“Advances in modern science have helped us understand how viruses spread.”
In context“The fundamental principles of science require that any hypothesis be subjected to rigorous testing and peer review before being accepted as fact.”
Synonymsempirical knowledgeresearch - 02 A2 Elementary
n.a particular branch of knowledge, such as biology, chemistry, or physics.
n.a specific discipline or branch of learning that deals with a particular area of the natural or social world.
Simple“Chemistry was my favourite science when I was a student in high school.”
In context“While biology is often considered a soft science by some, it relies on the same mathematical foundations as physics.”
Synonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the group of people who work as scientists.
n.the collective body of scientists and researchers working within established institutions.
Simple“The government consulted with science before making the new environmental laws.”
In context“The report reflects the consensus within science regarding the long-term impacts of carbon emissions on global temperatures.”
Synonymsacademiascientific community - 04 C1 Advanced
v.to use scientific methods or tools to fix a tricky situation.
v.to apply scientific principles or technical knowledge to resolve a specific challenge. Transitive — requires a direct object.
Simple“We had a problem with the water filter, but we managed to science it until it worked again.”
In context“In the film, the protagonist famously declares that he will have to science the problem to survive on the desolate planet.”
UsageOften used in the phrase 'science the [something] out of it' or 'science the problem'.
Teacher's tipThis verbal use is a modern 'verbing' of the noun, popularised by science fiction media; it should be avoided in academic writing.
Usage science tech · applied science · computer science
From Middle English science, scyence, borrowed from Old French science, escience, from Latin scientia (“knowledge”), from sciens, the present participle stem of scire (“to know”).
See scion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.