Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

occam's razor

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.11 in modern English

Syllables
oc-cam's ra-zor
IPA
26
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

name

The principle of preferring the simplest of competing theories.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Named after the English Franciscan theologist William of Occam, an advocate of the law of parsimony, and the idea of a razor as a tool that trims or shaves.

Inflected Forms

Ockham's razor (alternative)

Phrases

Hanlon's razor Hitchens' razor Newton's flaming laser sword Occam's broom when you hear hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras

Frequently Paired Words

Hanlon's razor Hitchens' razor Newton's flaming laser sword Occam's broom when you hear hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras

Synonyms

law of parsimony principle of parsimony ockham's razor

Questions

What does occam's razor mean?
The principle of preferring the simplest of competing theories.
Where does occam's razor come from?
Named after the English Franciscan theologist William of Occam, an advocate of the law of parsimony, and the idea of a razor as a tool that trims or shaves.

How to pronounce occam's razor

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “occam's razor”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “occam's razor”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “occam's razor” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.