Speculative Meaning
/ˈspɛkjuləˌtɪv/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjCharacterized by speculation; based on guessing, unfounded opinions, or extrapolation.
adjPursued as a gamble, with possible large profits or losses; risky.
Sentence Examples
Commodity futures markets have become highly speculative.
Civil rights are apparently speculative.
This caused a huge speculative bubble in Algeria.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The professor dismissed the theory as purely ____ because it lacked any data.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The report was based on ____ evidence rather than hard facts that could be independently verified.
Word Origin & History
Inherited from Middle English speculatyf, borrowed from Old French speculatif or directly from Late Latin speculativus, from Latin speculor.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Like The Handmaid's Tale, Oryx and Crake is a speculative fiction, not a science fiction proper."
— 2013, P. L. Thomas, Science Fiction and Speculative Fiction: Challenging Genres, →ISBN, page 2:
"When not inaccurate, much commentary on the contents of Hobson-Jobson is couched in hedges or relies on speculative estimates in the absence of exact information."
— 2018, James Lambert, “Setting the Record Straight: An In-depth Examination of Hobson-Jobson”, in International Journal of Lexicography, volume 31, number 4, →DOI, page 487:
"Tranquillo Barnetta was the grateful beneficiary of uncertain England defending and poor goalkeeping from Joe Hart as he twice saw speculative free-kicks end in the back of the net in the first half."
— 2011 June 4, Phil McNulty, “England 2-2 Switzerland”, in BBC:
"Little seemed on when Sánchez cut in from the left and sent a speculative low shot through a crowd of players, but though Federici had it covered he could not hold on to the ball and it squirmed over the line through his legs."
— 2015 April 18, Paul Wilson, The Guardian:
""Don't dare laugh at us!" smiled his sister. "I wish we were back in Tenth Street. But so many children came[…]and the Tenth Street house wasn't half big enough; and a dreadful speculative builder built this house and persuaded Austin to buy it. Oh, dear, and here we are among the rich and great; and the steel kings and copper kings and oil kings and their heirs and dauphins. Do you like the house?""
— 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter I, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The professor dismissed the theory as purely ____ because it lacked any data.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The report was based on ____ evidence rather than hard facts that could be independently verified.