empirical
im-PIR-ih-kul
/ɪmˈpɪr.ɪ.kəl/
Based on, concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic.
Implies concrete gathering of data via sense perception or experimentation.
The story behind the word. From Greek 'empeirikos' meaning 'experienced', derived from 'peira' (trial/attempt). Ancient Roman 'empirics' were physicians whose practice was based on experience rather than medical theory.
Word relationships
- observational: Observational is passive monitoring, whereas empirical includes active experimentation.
- theoretical: Based on abstract principles rather than observed facts.
- speculative: Based on guesswork without observational backing.
Commonly confused with
- imperial: Imperial relates to empires or royalty; empirical relates to observation and experience.
Word family
- empiricism (noun): The theory that all knowledge is derived from sense-experience.
- empiricist (noun): A person who relies on observation and experiment.
Collocations
- empirical evidence
- empirical study
- empirical data
Example sentences
- "The researchers gathered empirical evidence to test their hypothesis regarding climate patterns." Scientific Research
Memory hook
EMPIRICAL = EXPERIMENT + EMPIRICAL observation. Experience over speculation.
When not to use
Do not use for theoretical derivations or purely mathematical proofs.
Fun facts
- In ancient Rome, 'empiric' was initially a derogatory term for doctors who relied on trial-and-error instead of theory!
Explore more words
metaphysical, sensory, clinical, observation, a priori, scientist
Also appears in
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