speculation
Use speculation in a sentence
yəˈleɪ noun
1.
the contemplation or consideration of some subject: to engage in speculation on humanity's ultimate destiny.
2.
a single instance or process of consideration.
3.
a conclusion or opinion reached by such contemplation: These speculations are impossible to verify.
4.
conjectural consideration of a matter; conjecture or surmise: a report based on speculation rather than facts.
5.
engagement in business transactions involving considerable risk but offering the chance of large gains, especially trading in commodities, stocks, etc., in the hope of profit from changes in the market price.
6.
a speculative commercial venture or undertaking.
Origin:
1325–75; Middle English speculacioun < Late Latin speculātiōn- (stem of speculātiō) exploration, observation. See speculate, -ion
1325–75; Middle English speculacioun < Late Latin speculātiōn- (stem of speculātiō) exploration, observation. See speculate, -ion
Related forms
an·ti·spec·u·la·tion, noun, adjective
non·spec·u·la·tion, noun
o·ver·spec·u·la·tion, noun
pre·spec·u·la·tion, noun
sem·i·spec·u·la·tion, noun
Synonyms
3. supposition, view, theory, hypothesis.
3. supposition, view, theory, hypothesis.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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|
Link To speculation
00:10
speculation
is always a great word to know.
So is doohickey. Does it mean:
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
| a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
speculation (ˌspɛkjʊˈleɪʃən) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the act or an instance of speculating |
| 2. | a supposition, theory, or opinion arrived at through speculating |
| 3. | investment involving high risk but also the possibility of high profits |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
speculation
late 14c., "contemplation, consideration," from O.Fr. speculation, from L.L. speculationem (nom. speculatio) "contemplation, observation," from L. speculatus, pp. of speculari "observe," from specere "to look at, view" (see scope (1)). Disparaging sense of "mere conjecture"
is recorded from 1570s. Meaning "buying and selling in search of profit from rise and fall of market value" is recorded from 1774; short form spec is attested from 1794.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
If the author's speculation is irrelevant and wild, then provide your own theory that is not irrelevant or wild.
Speculation that it might be an elevator car railing has not been confirmed.
The downside over a simple tax is huge: speculation.
Which means another report might offer a lot, or that this one was simply speculation.
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