speculate

Pronunciation: /ˈspɛk.jəˌleɪt/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. verb to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds
  2. verb talk over conjecturally, or review in an idle or casual way and with an element of doubt or without sufficient reason to reach a conclusion
  3. verb reflect deeply on a subject

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin speculātus, perfect active participle of speculor (“to watch, observe, examine, spy”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from specula (“a watchtower”), ultimately from speciō (“to look at”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

theorize, theorise, conjecture, hypothesize, hypothesise, hypothecate, suppose

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
expect
Narrower (hyponyms)
explicate, reconstruct

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