theory




a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena

"theories can incorporate facts and laws and tested hypotheses"; "true in fact and theory"

Type of:
  • explanation

Types:
  • reductionism
  • blastogenesis
  • preformation; theory of preformation
  • scientific theory
  • field theory
  • economic theory
  • atomism; atomic theory; atomist theory; atomistic theory
  • holism; holistic theory
  • structuralism; structural sociology
  • structuralism; structural anthropology


WordNet Lexical Database v3.0, © 2006 Princeton University