Theory

How to spell theory

6 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce theory

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does theory mean?

1. nounA system of ideas intended to explain something, often based on general principles rather than direct practice.

Theory in a sentence

• The economist proposed a new theory to explain the housing crash.

• In theory the plan should save money, but the results were disappointing.

Where does theory come from?

Language of origin: Greek

This word comes from the Greek theoria, which literally meant 'a looking at', 'contemplation', or 'speculation', built on theoros, a spectator or someone sent to view an event such as the games or an oracle. That noun in turn rests on the verb theorein, 'to look at' or 'to consider'. Latin took it up as theoria, and English borrowed it in the late 1500s, at first meaning a mental scheme or a way of contemplating something rather than the practical doing of it. The contrast between 'theory' and 'practice' is built into its very roots, since a theoros was originally an onlooker rather than a participant. The same Greek family also gave English 'theatre', another place built around looking and watching, and the spelling trap of 'theory' is exactly that quiet -eo- sequence in the middle that adults sometimes shuffle.

How the word is built

• theor- (from Greek theoria: contemplation, speculation)
• -y (noun suffix)