Meanings
comparative more theoretic · superlative most theoretic · alternative theoretick
- Concerned with theories or hypotheses rather than with practical matters.
We shall, therefore, only very humbly submit whether the whole statement be not rather too theoretic and somewhat too darkly adumbrated in ambiguous phraseology for plain, uncollegian understandings.
1826, Rev. James Gilchrist, The Perpetuity of Christian Baptism Maintained, page 43
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveconcerned primarily with theories or hypotheses rather than practical considerations
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Ancient Greekθεωρητικός
- Latintheōrēticus
- Englishtheoretic
English theory + -etic, from Latin theōrēticus, from Ancient Greek θεωρητικός (theōrētikós).
More words from Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic نَظَرِيّ
- نَظَرِيّ (naẓariyy)concerned with theories or hypotheses
Bulgarian хипотетичен, предполагаем
- хипотетичен (hipotetičen)concerned with theories or hypotheses
- предполагаем (predpolagaem)concerned with theories or hypotheses
- теоретичен (teoretičen)existing only in theory
Catalan teòric, teòric
- teòricconcerned with theories or hypotheses
- teòricexisting only in theory
Finnish teoreettinen, teoreettinen
- teoreettinenconcerned with theories or hypotheses
- teoreettinenexisting only in theory
French théorétique, théorique
- théorétiqueconcerned with theories or hypotheses
- théoriqueexisting only in theory
German theoretisch, theoretisch
- theoretischconcerned with theories or hypotheses
- theoretischexisting only in theory
Hebrew תֵּאוֹרֵטִי, תֵּאוֹרֵטִי
- תֵּאוֹרֵטִי (teoreti)concerned with theories or hypotheses
- תֵּאוֹרֵטִי (tetoreti)existing only in theory
Japanese 理論的な, 理論上の
- 理論的な (rironteki na)concerned with theories or hypotheses
- 理論上の (rironjō no)existing only in theory
Polish teoretyczny
- teoretycznyexisting only in theory
Russian теорети́ческий, теорети́ческий
- теорети́ческий (teoretíčeskij)concerned with theories or hypotheses
- теорети́ческий (teoretíčeskij)existing only in theory
Spanish teórico, teórico
- teóricoconcerned with theories or hypotheses
- teóricoexisting only in theory
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
theoretic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/theoretic
“theoretic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/theoretic. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “theoretic,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/theoretic.
Source: theoretic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.