theoretical
adjUK /ˌθɪəˈɹɛtɪkəl/ · US /ˌθi.əˈɹɛt.ɪ.kəl/
Etymology From Middle English theorothycall, probably from Latin theōrēticus + -al, from Ancient Greek θεωρητικός (theōrētikós).
1
Of or relating to theory; abstract; not empirical.
- We may look upon this figure as representing in section a theoretical wing-form, or aerofoil1907, Aerodynamics, constituting the first volume of a complete work on aerial flight, page 163:
- Which makes the concept known as Rods From God the ultimate form of kinetic weaponry. This theoretical weapon would drop telephone pole sized rods of dense tungsten from a satellite in orbit.2025 May 12, Jeff Edwards, “Rods from God: Unleashing Orbital Kinetic Bombardment as a Theoretical Defense System”, in Mira Safety:
- Derived terms
36 terms
antitheoretical, atheoretical, ecotheoretical, game-theoretical, graph-theoretical, group theoretical, hypertheoretical, information-theoretical, intertheoretical, intratheoretical, macrotheoretical, metatheoretical, microtheoretical, nontheoretical, number-theoretical, optimality theoretical, pre-theoretical, pretheoretical, psychotheoretical, queer theoretical, ring theoretical, ring-theoretical, set-theoretical, theoreticalism, theoreticality, theoretical key, theoretically, theoreticalness, theoretical oxygen demand, theoretical physicist, theoretical physics, theoretical plate, theoretical probability, theozyme, transtheoretical, untheoretical