Theoretically

How to spell theoretically

13 letters · 5 syllables

How to pronounce theoretically

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does theoretically mean?

1. adverbIn principle or according to theory, even if not necessarily true in practice.

Theoretically in a sentence

• Theoretically the new schedule should save us two hours a week.

• The bridge can theoretically carry far more weight than it ever will.

Where does theoretically come from?

Language of origin: Greek

This word reaches back to the Greek theoretikos, meaning 'contemplative' or 'concerned with looking at and reflecting on things', which was built on the verb theorein, 'to look at, observe, or consider'. That verb in turn relates to theoros, a 'spectator', and to thea, a 'view' or 'sight', so the deep idea is of someone standing back and viewing matters in the mind rather than acting on them. Latin took the term in as theoreticus, and English drew the noun 'theory' and the adjective 'theoretic' from it during the late 1500s and 1600s, with the fuller 'theoretical' settling in soon after. The long adverb 'theoretically' simply stacks the suffixes onto that base, which is why it ends in the tricky cluster -ical-ly that swallows a syllable in speech. The same Greek root for viewing also gives us 'theatre', another place built around watching, and remembering that family helps fix the opening 'theor-' spelling.

How the word is built

• theoret- (from Greek theoretikos: contemplative, speculative)
• -ic (adjective)
• -al (adjective)
• -ly (adverb)