Hypotheses

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Hypothesis \Hy*poth"e*sis\, n.; pl. {Hypotheses}. [NL., fr. Gr.
     ? foundation, supposition, fr. ? to place under, ? under + ?
     to put. See {Hypo-}, {Thesis}.]
     1. A supposition; a proposition or principle which is
        supposed or taken for granted, in order to draw a
        conclusion or inference for proof of the point in


        question; something not proved, but assumed for the
        purpose of argument, or to account for a fact or an
        occurrence; as, the hypothesis that head winds detain an
        overdue steamer.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              An hypothesis being a mere supposition, there are no
              other limits to hypotheses than those of the human
              imagination.                          --J. S. Mill.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Natural Science) A tentative theory or supposition
        provisionally adopted to explain certain facts, and to
        guide in the investigation of others; hence, frequently
        called a working hypothesis.
  
     Syn: Supposition; assumption. See {Theory}.
          [1913 Webster]
  
     {Nebular hypothesis}. See under {Nebular}. Hypothetic

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  hypothesis
       n 1: a proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations
       2: a tentative theory about the natural world; a concept that
          is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain
          facts or phenomena; "a scientific hypothesis that survives
          experimental testing becomes a scientific theory"; "he
          proposed a fresh theory of alkalis that later was accepted
          in chemical practices" [syn: {possibility}, {theory}]
       3: a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence
          [syn: {guess}, {conjecture}, {supposition}, {surmise}, {surmisal},
           {speculation}]
       [also: {hypotheses} (pl)]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  hypotheses
       See {hypothesis}