meaning of theory
1. A doctrine, or scheme of things, which terminates in speculation or contemplation, without a view to practice; hypothesis; speculation.
2. An exposition of the general or abstract principles of any science; as, the theory of music.
3. The science, as distinguished from the art; as, the theory and practice of medicine.
4. The philosophical explanation of phenomena, either physical or moral; as, Lavoisiers theory of combustion; Adam Smiths theory of moral sentiments.
5. 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
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Related Words
theory | theory change | theory of dissociation | theory of electrolytic dissociation | theory of evolution | theory of games | theory of gravitation | theory of gravity | theory of indicators | theory of inheritance | theory of organic evolution | theory of preformation | theory of punctuated equilibrium | theory of relativity | theory-based |
