hypothetical: Meaning and Definition of

hy•po•thet•i•cal

Pronunciation: (hī"pu-thet'i-kul), [key]
— adj.
  1. assumed by hypothesis; supposed: a hypothetical case.
  2. of, pertaining to, involving, or characterized by hypothesis: hypothetical reasoning.
  3. given to making hypotheses.
    1. (of a proposition) highly conjectural; not well supported by available evidence.
    2. (of a proposition or syllogism) conditional.
—n.
  1. a hypothetical situation, instance, etc.: The Secretary of Defense refused to discuss hypotheticals with the reporters.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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