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

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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

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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

Weis studied chemical principles and molecular interactions, and he aimed to work in science roles at pharmaceutical companies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026

Fielder tells Holmes that he was reminded of the bit the day before, when Holmes tried to describe the science and intention of Theranos in front of its deconstructed prototype.

From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026

In 1960, Science, one of the world’s leading science journals, published an article with an unambiguous title: Doomsday: Friday, 13 November, A.D.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026

The science of willpower is that there is part of the brain toward the front, toward the lateral prefrontal cortex, that is in charge of ordering around the rest of your brain.

From Slate ● Oct. 17, 2026

Medical science in 1848 knows very little about bacteria, even though they were first seen through microscopes nearly two hundred years before.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

Antoine Legrand, a 24-year-old economics and social sciences teacher also in Aubervilliers, has been in the profession for just a month but has already experienced some pressures.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

"It's all about fine-tuning and making sure it's going to be an even slice," said Sweet, who studies biological sciences.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026

State investment vehicles such as Mubadala and Masdar poured billions into U.K. offshore wind, clean tech, life sciences and fiber-optic networks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

The social sciences show Thinking Allowed will also be cut along with arts and ideas programme Free Thinking, as the corporation seeks £500m savings.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

Her father had insisted that she earn a teaching certificate as a backup plan for her pursuit of a career in the sciences.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

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Related Words

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

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