empirical
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: empiricals
Sense 1
Pertaining to or based on experience, as opposed to theory.
Adjective
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Pertaining to, derived from, or testable by observations made using the physical senses or using instruments which extend the senses.
Adjective
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 3
A measurement or result achieved by empirical means.
Noun
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “empirical” mean?
Pertaining to or based on experience, as opposed to theory.
Is “empirical” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.