science

American  

[sahy-uhns] / ˈsaɪ əns /

noun

sciences plural

1. a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws.

   the mathematical sciences.

2. systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation.

3. any of the branches of natural or physical science.

4. systematized knowledge in general.

5. knowledge, as of facts or principles; knowledge gained by systematic study.

6. a particular branch of knowledge.

7. skill, especially reflecting a precise application of facts or principles; proficiency.

   Synonyms:

   discipline, method, technique, art

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science British  

/ ˈsaɪəns /

noun

1. the systematic study of the nature and behaviour of the material and physical universe, based on observation, experiment, and measurement, and the formulation of laws to describe these facts in general terms

2. the knowledge so obtained or the practice of obtaining it

3. any particular branch of this knowledge

   the pure and applied sciences

4. any body of knowledge organized in a systematic manner

5. skill or technique

6. archaic knowledge

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science Scientific  

/ sī′əns /

1. The investigation of natural phenomena through observation, theoretical explanation, and experimentation, or the knowledge produced by such investigation.

2. ◆ Science makes use of the scientific method, which includes the careful observation of natural phenomena, the formulation of a hypothesis, the conducting of one or more experiments to test the hypothesis, and the drawing of a conclusion that confirms or modifies the hypothesis.

3. See Note at hypothesis

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Usage

Spelling tips for science The word science is hard to spell for two reasons. It uses two letters to make an [ s ] sound, sc-. It is also an exception to the classic rule: I before E, except after C. In this case, the rule does not apply. How to spell science: First, remember that you learn science in school, another hard word to spell that also starts with sc. Second, remember that science doesn't follow the classic “I before E except after C” rule because the i is pronounced separately from the e that follows it (resulting in a two-syllable word), instead of being pronounced together as a single vowel sound.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonscience
  noun
• subscience
  noun
• antiscience
  adjective
• interscience
  adjective
• proscience
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sciences
  plural

Etymology

Origin of science

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin scientia “knowledge,” equivalent to scient- (stem of sciēns “knowing,” present participle of scīre “to know”) + -ia -ia

Explanation

Science is the field of study concerned with discovering and describing the world around us by observing and experimenting. Biology, chemistry, and physics are all branches of science. Science is an "empirical" field, that is, it develops a body of knowledge by observing things and performing experiments. The meticulous process of gathering and analyzing data is called the "scientific method," and we sometimes use science to describe the knowledge we already have. Science is also what's involved in the performance of something complicated: "the science of making a perfect soufflé."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

science sciences

The suspect was identified as Ziheng “Tony” Fang, 30, of San José, a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in data science.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

"The basic science of climate change is very well established," he says.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

In their complaint, filed in federal court in Washington state, groups including the Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club argued the government had blatantly violated "common sense, biological science, and federal law."

From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026

The researchers also say the study highlights the value of curiosity driven science.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

She takes out her laptop and her science notebook and as she gets organized, I start sanding the top of a small side table that has water stains and scratches.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Speaking during a public comment period Tuesday, Umesh Vazirani, a UC Berkeley professor of electrical engineering and computer sciences, said “the academic case for reinstating the SAT is, in my view, overwhelming.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

It combined biological research conducted by Dr. Shahid Khan during his doctoral studies with computational and statistical analysis developed by Dr. Satyaki Roy, professor of mathematical sciences, along with contributions from graduate student Owen Trippany.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026

In addition to carbon capture, the documents showed the initiative’s work had expanded in earth sciences, climate modeling and policy.

From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026

Merck said the acquisition of Bio-Techne will strengthen its presence in the life sciences market.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

It has been called "the greatest unanswered question in the geological sciences."

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• art
• discipline
• education
• information
• learning
• skill
• system
• technique