falsifiable
/ˈfɒl.sɪˌfaɪ.ə.bəl/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.85 in modern English
19
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
4
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
The demarcation criterion between scientific and non-scientific statements proposed by Karl Popper. In order to be ranked as scientific, statements or systems of statements must be contradicted by an intersubjective singular existential statement, also called a basic statement, and not be contradicted by another, that is, they must also be logically possible.
Example Sentences
- "The sentence "It will rain tomorrow" is falsifiable, while the sentence "It is what it is" is not."
- "A digital signature algorithm must be not falsifiable."
- "The statement It rains every day, everywhere is falsifiable, because it is contradicted by the basic statement On the third of August, in New York city it was not raining and it is not contradicted by the basic statement On the second of August, in New York city it was raining, while the statement It will rain someday is not falsifiable."
Etymology
Etymology tree English falsify Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Italic *-ðlom Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin -ābilis Old French -ablebor. Middle English -able English -able English falsifiable From falsify + -able.
Regional Pronunciation
- British English: /ˈfɒl.sɪˌfaɪ.ə.bəl/
Inflected Forms
more falsifiable (comparative)
most falsifiable (superlative)