Origin: Latin suffix -al
Empirical has 3 different meanings across 1 category:
Pertaining to or based on experience (often, in contrast with having a basis in theoretical explanation).
"The scientist relied on empirical evidence gathered from repeated experiments rather than purely theoretical predictions."
In plain English: Empirical means based on actual observation and experience rather than just theory or imagination.
"The scientist relied on empirical evidence from experiments rather than just theoretical predictions."
Usage: Use empirical when evidence comes from direct observation or experimentation rather than pure theory. This term is often paired with the phrase "empirical data" to distinguish factual findings from abstract speculation.
The word comes from the Latin empiricus, meaning "of an experimenter." It originally described knowledge gained through observation and experience rather than theory.