Basic Details
Word: Empirical
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Based on observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic.
Synonyms: Observational, experiential, practical
Antonyms: Theoretical, hypothetical, abstract
Idioms and Phrases
- Empirical evidence: Information acquired by observation or experimentation. Example: "The scientists gathered empirical evidence to support their conclusions about climate change."
- Empirical approach: A method that relies on what can be observed rather than what might be assumed. Example: "An empirical approach allows researchers to draw conclusions based on real-world data."
Usage Examples
Example 1: The researchers conducted an empirical study to discover how plants grow in different types of soil.
Example 2: His arguments were rooted in empirical data collected from years of experiments.
Example 3: An empirical understanding of the world helps us make informed decisions based on real experiences.
Fun Fact
The term "empirical" comes from the Greek word "empeiria," which means experience. This highlights the importance of observations and experiences in scientific processes.
Famous Quote
"The great tragedy of sciencethe slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact." Thomas Huxley
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "empirical" mean?
a) Based on observation
b) Abstract
c) Purely theoretical
d) Inherited
Answer: a) Based on observation
2. Which of these is a synonym of "empirical"?
a) Theoretical
b) Practical
c) Hypothetical
d) Conceptual
Answer: b) Practical
3. Which of the following is an antonym of "empirical"?
a) Observational
b) Experimental
c) Theoretical
d) Realistic
Answer: c) Theoretical
4. Which sentence correctly uses the word "empirical"?
a) Her empirical beliefs were based solely on imagination.
b) The empirical study showed a clear result from the tests conducted.
c) He chose to follow an empirical idea without any evidence.
d) Their empirical theory was never tested.
Answer: b) The empirical study showed a clear result from the tests conducted.
5. Which phrase refers to observation-based information?
a) Empirical theory
b) Empirical evidence
c) Empirical thoughts
d) Empirical dreams
Answer: b) Empirical evidence
