Word
speculation
Phoneticsspec·u·la·tion, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌspɛkjəˈɫeɪʃən/
UK/spˌɛkjʊlˈeɪʃən/
Definitions
01guessing without proof
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. forming an opinion or theory without having all the facts or certain proof.
n. the act of theorising or conjecturing about a subject without firm evidence. Often uncountable when referring to the general activity.
日本語:憶測※
“There has been a lot of speculation about who will win the election next month.”
“The media's constant speculation regarding the CEO's health caused the company's stock price to fluctuate wildly before the official statement.”
Synonyms
02risky investing
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Business Technical
n. buying something like land or stocks hoping the price will go up so you can sell it for a big profit.
n. the practice of engaging in risky financial transactions in an attempt to profit from short-term fluctuations in market value.
日本語:投機※
“He lost most of his savings through reckless speculation in the property market.”
“The economic crisis was largely attributed to excessive speculation in subprime mortgages by major financial institutions.”
Usage
Often takes the preposition 'in' followed by the asset type.
Synonyms
03computing
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Computing Technical
n. a process where a computer predicts which path a program will take and starts the work early.
n. the execution of tasks by a computer system before it is certain they are actually required, in order to improve performance.
日本語:投機※
“Modern processors use speculation to speed up how they handle complex instructions.”
“Security vulnerabilities were discovered in the way the processor handled branch speculation during high-speed data processing.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “speculation” in context.
Verb
01. dismiss speculation
“The government was quick to dismiss speculation that they were planning to raise taxes.”
verb + noun
02. fuel speculation
“The CEO's sudden resignation served to fuel speculation about the company's financial health.”
verb + noun
03. spark speculation
“The appearance of the two actors together at the gala sparked speculation that they were dating.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. intense speculation
“There has been intense speculation in the media regarding the future of the national team coach.”
adj + noun
05. rife with speculation
“The office was rife with speculation after the manager called an emergency meeting.”
adj + prep + noun
06. wild speculation
“The police warned the public against engaging in wild speculation before all the facts were known.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. matter for speculation
“The exact cause of the accident remains a matter for speculation until the investigation is complete.”
noun + prep + noun
08. subject of speculation
“Her private life has frequently been the subject of speculation in the tabloid press.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
09. amid speculation
“The stock price fell sharply amid speculation that the merger might fail.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“Speculation about the future of Vinícius Júnior, who had 12 months left on his contract, would not go away.” “In the three months since, the speculation around Ocasio-Cortez’s ambitions – for herself and for America – has only grown louder.” “Despite speculation about the Madrid flight, it is understood that record La Liga winners, Real Madrid, have cooled their interest based on the financial weight required for the transfer.” Etymology
Etymology tree Middle English speculation English speculation From Middle English speculacioun, speculation, from Old French speculation (compare French spéculation), from Late Latin speculātiō, speculātiōnem, from Latin speculor. Morphologically speculate + -ion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- 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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QR code
englishreference.com/q/speculation
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0