empirical
/ɪmˈpɪɹɪkəl/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.62 in modern English
15
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
4
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Pertaining to or based on experience, as opposed to theory.
adj
Pertaining to, derived from, or testable by observations made using the physical senses or using instruments which extend the senses.
adj
Verifiable by means of scientific experimentation.
noun
A measurement or result achieved by empirical means.
Example Sentences
- "The lengths were calculated according to the empirical rules of the trade."
- "For some presumptive diagnoses, empirical antibiotic therapy begins immediately, whereas specific antibiotic therapy must await the results of the culture and sensitivity test."
- "The village carpenter […] lays out his work by empirical rules learnt in his apprenticeship."
- "demonstrable with empirical evidence"
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Ancient Greek ἐν (en) Ancient Greek ἐν- (en-) Proto-Indo-European *per- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-ih₂ Proto-Indo-European *périh₂ Proto-Hellenic *péřřa Ancient Greek πεῖρα (peîra) Ancient Greek -ος (-os) Ancient Greek ἔμπειρος (émpeiros) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā) Ancient Greek ἐμπειρία (empeiría) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Hellenic *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) Ancient Greek -ῐκός (-ĭkós) Ancient Greek ἐμπειρῐκός (empeirĭkós)bor. Latin empīricuslbor. English empiric Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English empirical From empiric + -al.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ɪmˈpɪɹɪkəl/
- British English: /ɪmˈpɪɹɪkəl/