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

It’s not a perfect science, but it does give clients some comfort as they look toward their retirement future.

Read more on Barron's

In the relatively new science tests, both Compton and L.A. were below state averages.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Companies are racing to integrate AI technology into all kinds of products, including some that touch on central human endeavors: reading and writing, art and science.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Researchers expect to discover more species new to science during an upcoming CSIRO-led voyage on RV Investigator to survey the deep-sea biodiversity of the Coral Sea Marine Park for Parks Australia.

Read more on Science Daily

Still, they acknowledge this isn’t fringe science akin to widely refuted claims that vaccines are linked to autism.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

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.