speculation

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B2 — Upper-Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence
  2. noun a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence)
  3. noun an investment that is very risky but could yield great profits

Etymology

From Middle English speculacioun, speculation, from Old French speculation (compare French spéculation), from Late Latin speculātiō, speculātiōnem, from Latin speculor. Morphologically speculate + -ion.

In classic literature

Synonyms

guess, conjecture, supposition, surmise, surmisal, hypothesis

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