Speculation

How to spell speculation

11 letters · 4 syllables

How to pronounce speculation

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does speculation mean?

1. nounThe forming of a theory or opinion without firm evidence; guesswork.
2. nounInvestment in assets or markets that carries high risk in the hope of large gains.

Speculation in a sentence

• The report dismissed the rumour as pure speculation with no facts behind it.

• The sharp rise in housing prices was driven largely by speculation rather than real demand.

• His sudden resignation fuelled endless speculation among the staff.

• She warned that currency speculation could wipe out the fund in a single week.

Where does speculation come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word descends from the Latin speculatio, meaning 'a looking out' or 'observation', which was built on the verb speculari, 'to watch, spy out, or examine closely'. That verb in turn came from specula, a 'watchtower', the place from which a sentry kept a lookout, and ultimately from the root specere, 'to look', the same root that gives us 'inspect', 'spectacle', and 'spectator'. English took the word in through Old French in the late 1300s, at first meaning careful observation or contemplation, and the sense gradually shifted toward forming theories or guesses without solid evidence. The financial meaning, risky dealing in hope of profit, grew up much later in the 1700s. Remembering the 'look' root specere helps with the tricky middle: it is spec-, not spek-, and the unstressed -ula- before -tion is where most spelling slips happen.

How the word is built

• spec- (from specere: to look)
• -ul- (frequentative)
• -ation (noun-forming suffix)