science

[sahy-uhns]

noun

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

science

/ 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

science

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of science¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of science¹

C14: via Old French from Latin scientia knowledge, from scīre to know

Example Sentences

So using these historical averages to gauge the health of the market is more art than science.

Read more on Barron's

One higher-education contact in the Boston region reported that fewer students wanted to study fields such as data science out of concern that AI will replace those jobs.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Second, educational background is crucial, making sure hires span arts, sciences, humanities and vocational training.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The annual competition, which began in 2004 in Singapore and was held in Turkey last year, highlights the importance of technology and science in improving daily lives, using the inventive spirit of young students.

Read more on Barron's

AI innovation raises the specter of superintelligent machines like those in science fiction.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

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

When To Use

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.