empirical
nounEtymology From empiric + -al.
1
A measurement or result achieved by empirical means.
- Related terms
- empirical evidence, anecdotal evidence, trial and error, empyrical
empirical
adjCA, US, UK /ɪmˈpɪɹɪkəl/
Etymology From empiric + -al.
1
Pertaining to or based on experience, as opposed to theory.
- The lengths were calculated according to the empirical rules of the trade.
- For some presumptive diagnoses, empirical antibiotic therapy begins immediately, whereas specific antibiotic therapy must await the results of the culture and sensitivity test.
1 more example
- The village carpenter […] lays out his work by empirical rules learnt in his apprenticeship.1861, Herbert Spencer, Education:
2
Pertaining to, derived from, or testable by observations made using the physical senses or using instruments which extend the senses.
3
Human sciences, Philosophy, Sciences Of science Verifiable by means of scientific experimentation.
- demonstrable with empirical evidence
- Synonyms
- empiric
- Antonyms
- nonempirical
- Derived terms
- antiempirical, empirical data, empirical ego, empirical formula, empiricalize, empirically, empiricalness, empirical research, empirical rule, equiempirical, hyperempirical, nonempirical, non-empirical ego, psychoempirical, semiempirical, superempirical, ultraempirical, unempirical
- Related terms
- empiricism, empiricist
- Coordinate terms
- conceptual, theoretical, anecdotal