{
    "term": "hypothesis",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "academic": true,
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "an idea or explanation of something that is based on a few known facts but that has not yet been proved to be true or correct",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to **formulate/confirm a hypothesis**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a hypothesis about the function of dreams"
                },
                {
                    "text": "There is little evidence to support these hypotheses."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her hypothesis concerns the role of electromagnetic radiation."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Their study is based on the hypothesis that language simplification is possible."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It is possible to make a hypothesis on the basis of this graph."
                },
                {
                    "text": "None of the hypotheses can be rejected at this stage."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Scientists have proposed a bold hypothesis."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She used this data to test her hypothesis"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The hypothesis predicts that children will perform better on task A than on task B."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The results confirmed his hypothesis on the use of modal verbs."
                },
                {
                    "text": "These observations appear to support our working hypothesis."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a speculative hypothesis concerning the nature of matter"
                },
                {
                    "text": "an interesting hypothesis about the development of language"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Advances in genetics seem to confirm these hypotheses."
                },
                {
                    "text": "His hypothesis about what dreams mean provoked a lot of debate."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Research supports the hypothesis that language skills are centred in the left side of the brain."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The survey will be used to test the hypothesis that people who work outside the home are fitter and happier."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This economic model is really a working hypothesis."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "theory",
            "topics": ["Scientific research"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["plausible", "bold", "speculative"],
                "verb + hypothesis": ["construct", "develop", "form"],
                "hypothesis + verb": [
                    "concern something",
                    "be based on something",
                    "predict something"
                ],
                "preposition": [
                    "on a/​the hypothesis",
                    "hypothesis about",
                    "hypothesis concerning"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "guesses and ideas that are not based on certain knowledge",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "It would be pointless to engage in hypothesis before we have the facts."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Doubt, guessing and certainty"]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/haɪˈpɒθəsɪs/",
                "audio": "hy/hypothesis/hypothesis__gb_5.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/haɪˈpɒθəsiːz/",
                "audio": "hy/hypothesis/hypotheses__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/haɪˈpɑːθəsɪs/",
                "audio": "hy/hypothesis/hypothesis__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/haɪˈpɑːθəsiːz/",
                "audio": "hy/hypothesis/hypotheses__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late 16th cent.: via late Latin from Greek hupothesis ‘foundation’, from hupo ‘under’ + thesis ‘placing’."
}