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Definition of hypothesis

Did you know.

The Difference Between Hypothesis and Theory

A hypothesis is an assumption, an idea that is proposed for the sake of argument so that it can be tested to see if it might be true.

In the scientific method, the hypothesis is constructed before any applicable research has been done, apart from a basic background review. You ask a question, read up on what has been studied before, and then form a hypothesis.

A hypothesis is usually tentative; it's an assumption or suggestion made strictly for the objective of being tested.

A theory , in contrast, is a principle that has been formed as an attempt to explain things that have already been substantiated by data. It is used in the names of a number of principles accepted in the scientific community, such as the Big Bang Theory . Because of the rigors of experimentation and control, it is understood to be more likely to be true than a hypothesis is.

In non-scientific use, however, hypothesis and theory are often used interchangeably to mean simply an idea, speculation, or hunch, with theory being the more common choice.

Since this casual use does away with the distinctions upheld by the scientific community, hypothesis and theory are prone to being wrongly interpreted even when they are encountered in scientific contexts—or at least, contexts that allude to scientific study without making the critical distinction that scientists employ when weighing hypotheses and theories.

The most common occurrence is when theory is interpreted—and sometimes even gleefully seized upon—to mean something having less truth value than other scientific principles. (The word law applies to principles so firmly established that they are almost never questioned, such as the law of gravity.)

This mistake is one of projection: since we use theory in general to mean something lightly speculated, then it's implied that scientists must be talking about the same level of uncertainty when they use theory to refer to their well-tested and reasoned principles.

The distinction has come to the forefront particularly on occasions when the content of science curricula in schools has been challenged—notably, when a school board in Georgia put stickers on textbooks stating that evolution was "a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things." As Kenneth R. Miller, a cell biologist at Brown University, has said , a theory "doesn’t mean a hunch or a guess. A theory is a system of explanations that ties together a whole bunch of facts. It not only explains those facts, but predicts what you ought to find from other observations and experiments.”

While theories are never completely infallible, they form the basis of scientific reasoning because, as Miller said "to the best of our ability, we’ve tested them, and they’ve held up."

  • proposition
  • supposition

hypothesis , theory , law mean a formula derived by inference from scientific data that explains a principle operating in nature.

hypothesis implies insufficient evidence to provide more than a tentative explanation.

theory implies a greater range of evidence and greater likelihood of truth.

law implies a statement of order and relation in nature that has been found to be invariable under the same conditions.

Examples of hypothesis in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hypothesis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Greek, from hypotithenai to put under, suppose, from hypo- + tithenai to put — more at do

1846, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing hypothesis

  • counter - hypothesis
  • nebular hypothesis
  • null hypothesis
  • planetesimal hypothesis
  • Whorfian hypothesis

Articles Related to hypothesis

hypothesis

This is the Difference Between a...

This is the Difference Between a Hypothesis and a Theory

In scientific reasoning, they're two completely different things

Dictionary Entries Near hypothesis

hypothermia

hypothesize

Cite this Entry

“Hypothesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypothesis. Accessed 25 Sep. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of hypothesis, medical definition, medical definition of hypothesis, more from merriam-webster on hypothesis.

Nglish: Translation of hypothesis for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of hypothesis for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hypothesis

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"What's the plural of hypothesis?"

The plural of hypothesis is hypotheses .

Definition of hypothesis:

A supposition or assumption based on limited evidence which has yet to be proven or disproven.

Is 'Hypothesis' Plural or Singular?

The plural form of "hypothesis" is "hypotheses." This is because "hypothesis" is a Greek-derived word that follows the rules for forming plurals of Greek-derived words.

In general, Greek-derived words that end in "-is" form the plural by changing the ending to "-es."

The plural of "hypothesis" is "hypotheses" because it is a borrowed word from the Greek language, and it follows the rules of Greek grammar for forming the plural.

In Greek, the plural of "hupothesis," the Greek word from which "hypothesis" is derived, is "hupotheses."

Other examples of Greek-derived words that follow this pattern include "analysis" (singular) and "analyses" (plural), "crisis" (singular) and "crises" (plural), and "thesis" (singular) and "theses" (plural).

The word "hypothesis" comes from the Greek word "hypothesis," which means "base," "foundation," or "assumption."

In scientific contexts, hypotheses are educated guesses or proposed explanations for a phenomenon that is based on limited evidence and is used as a starting point for further investigation.

Plural of Hypothesis Example Sentences

Here are some examples to illustrate the difference between the singular and plural forms of the word "hypothesis":

Singular: " A hypothesis has been proposed to explain the sudden increase in the number of earthquakes in the region" .

Plural: " Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain the sudden increase in the number of earthquakes in the region. One suggests that the earthquakes are caused by tectonic activity, while the other suggests that they are caused by the injection of wastewater into the ground" .

Singular: " The hypothesis that the Earth is flat has been debunked by scientific evidence" .

Plural: " There are many hypotheses about the origins of the universe, but the most widely accepted one is the Big Bang theory" .

Throughout history multiple hypotheses were put forward to explain why objects tended to fall to Earth when dropped. The Greeks believed it was because the Earth was the center of the Universe.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypothesis

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The plural of hypothesis is hypotheses

ESLBUZZ

Plural of Hypothesis: Rules and Examples

By: Author ESLBUZZ

Posted on Last updated: November 13, 2023

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The plural of hypothesis is a topic of much debate among scientists and researchers. While some argue that “hypotheses” is the correct plural form, others insist that “hypothese” is the proper way to refer to multiple hypotheses. So, which one is correct? In this article, we will explore the history and etymology of the word “hypothesis” and examine the different arguments for each plural form. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of the plural of “hypothesis” and be equipped to use it accurately in your scientific writing.

Plural of Hypothesis

Plural of Hypothesis: Rules and Examples

Definition and Plural of Hypothesis

If you are a scientist or a researcher, you are probably familiar with the term “hypothesis.” A hypothesis is an idea or explanation for something that is based on known facts but has not yet been proved. It is often used as a starting point for scientific research.

There are several key components of a hypothesis:

  • Testability: A hypothesis must be testable through experimentation or observation. This means that it must be possible to collect data that can either support or refute the hypothesis.
  • Falsifiability: A hypothesis must be falsifiable, meaning that it can be proven false if it is not supported by the data. This is important because it allows scientists to eliminate incorrect explanations and focus on more accurate ones.
  • Specificity: A hypothesis must be specific in its predictions. It should clearly state what is being tested and what the expected outcome is.
  • Relevance: A hypothesis must be relevant to the research question or problem being addressed. It should be based on existing knowledge and observations related to the phenomenon being studied.

The plural of “hypothesis” is “hypotheses.” Scientists base scientific hypotheses on previous observations that cannot be explained with the available scientific theories. Experimenters may test and reject several hypotheses before solving a problem. The noun “hypothesis” has a Greek root, which is the derivation of the plural “hypotheses.”

It is important to note that a hypothesis is not a proven fact. It is simply an idea that can be tested and either confirmed or rejected through experiments or further research. A hypothesis is often used to explain a phenomenon or to predict the outcome of an experiment.

In scientific research, hypotheses are crucial for advancing knowledge and understanding of the world around us. They help researchers to identify the gaps in current knowledge and to develop new theories and explanations. Hypotheses are also used to guide experiments and to determine the best methods for collecting and analyzing data.

When to Use Hypothesis and Plural of Hypothesis

When conducting scientific research, it is important to understand when to use the singular form “hypothesis” and when to use the plural form “hypotheses.” A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon that can be tested through experimentation or observation. Scientists use hypotheses to guide their research and to make predictions about the outcomes of experiments.

When discussing a single proposed explanation, you would use the singular form “hypothesis.” For example, “My hypothesis is that increased exposure to sunlight will lead to increased plant growth.”

On the other hand, when discussing multiple proposed explanations, you would use the plural form “hypotheses.” For example, “The researchers tested several hypotheses before arriving at a conclusion.”

It is important to note that the plural form “hypotheses” is not used to refer to multiple instances of the same hypothesis. In this case, you would still use the singular form “hypothesis.” For example, “The experiment was conducted multiple times to test the same hypothesis.”

Examples of Hypothesis and Plural of Hypothesis in Sentences

When it comes to forming the plural of hypothesis, it’s important to remember that “hypotheses” is the only way to make the noun “hypothesis” plural. Here are a few examples of how to use “hypothesis” and “hypotheses” in sentences:

Using “hypothesis”: 

  • You have developed a hypothesis about the cause of the problem.
  • My hypothesis is that the new treatment will improve patient outcomes.
  • The scientist presented a compelling hypothesis about the origin of the universe.
  • Before conducting any experiments, it’s important to develop a hypothesis to guide your research.

Using “hypotheses”: 

  • The team’s hypotheses were all based on sound scientific principles, but only one was ultimately proven correct.
  • The researchers had to revise their hypotheses several times as they collected more data.
  • Without testing multiple hypotheses, it’s difficult to determine which one is the most accurate explanation for a given phenomenon.
  • The team’s hypotheses were all based on different assumptions, which made it difficult to determine which one was correct.

As you can see, the plural form of “hypothesis” is used when referring to multiple hypotheses. It’s important to use the correct plural form to ensure clear communication.

In addition to using “hypotheses” as the plural form, it’s also important to use the correct verb agreement. For example:

Correct:  The hypotheses were tested.

Incorrect:  The hypotheses was tested.

Using the correct verb agreement is just as important as using the correct plural form.

Plural Noun Rules For Regular Nouns

When it comes to making nouns plural, there are a few rules that you should keep in mind. In this section, we’ll cover the rules for both regular and irregular nouns.

  • Most regular nouns form their plurals by adding -s to the end of the singular form. For example, “car” becomes “cars”, “book” becomes “books”, and “desk” becomes “desks”.
  • If the singular noun ends in -s, -x, -z, -ch, or -sh, add -es to the end to form the plural. For example, “box” becomes “boxes”, “buzz” becomes “buzzes”, “wish” becomes “wishes”, and “church” becomes “churches”.
  • If the singular noun ends in a consonant followed by -y, change the -y to -ies to form the plural. For example, “city” becomes “cities”, “baby” becomes “babies”, and “party” becomes “parties”.
  • If the singular noun ends in a vowel followed by -y, add -s to form the plural. For example, “key” becomes “keys”, “boy” becomes “boys”, and “day” becomes “days”.
  • If the singular noun ends in -f or -fe, change the -f or -fe to -ves to form the plural. For example, “knife” becomes “knives”, “life” becomes “lives”, and “leaf” becomes “leaves”.
  • If the singular noun ends in a consonant followed by -o, add -es to form the plural. For example, “potato” becomes “potatoes”, “hero” becomes “heroes”, and “tomato” becomes “tomatoes”.
  • If the singular noun ends in a vowel followed by -o, add -s to form the plural. For example, “studio” becomes “studios”, “zoo” becomes “zoos”, and “radio” becomes “radios”.

Remember, these are just the basic plural noun rules for regular nouns. There are always exceptions and irregular nouns that follow different rules for forming plurals.

Plural Noun Rules For Irregular Nouns

List of common irregular plural nouns.

Here is a list of some of the most common irregular plural nouns in English:

Child Children
Foot Feet
Mouse Mice
Tooth Teeth
Person People
Goose Geese
Man Men
Woman Women

Remember, when it comes to making nouns plural, it’s important to follow the rules for each individual noun. By keeping these rules in mind, you’ll be able to make any noun plural with ease.

Nouns That End in Us

Nouns that end in “us” in their singular form usually have “i” added to the end to form the plural. For example:

  • Plural: cacti
  • Plural: fungi
  • Plural: nuclei

Nouns  That End in Is

Nouns that end in “is” in their singular form usually have “es” added to the end to form the plural. For example:

  • Plural: bases
  • Plural: analyses
  • Plural: hypotheses

Nouns That End in On and Um

Nouns that end in “on” or “um” in their singular form usually have “a” added to the end to form the plural. For example:

  • Plural: criteria
  • Plural: phenomena
  • Plural: curricula

It’s important to note that there are many exceptions to these rules, and some nouns have irregular plural forms that don’t follow any specific pattern. However, by knowing these basic rules, you can form the plural of many nouns correctly.

Plurals That Are the Same as Singulars

Some words in English have the same form for both singular and plural. These are known as “singularia tantum” or “pluralia tantum” words. “Hypothesis” is not one of them, but it is important to be aware of these types of words.

Here are some examples of singularia tantum words:

These words do not have a separate plural form, and they are always used in their singular form, even when referring to multiple items.

It’s important to remember that these words do not follow the usual rules of English grammar, and they can be confusing for non-native speakers.

In contrast, “hypothesis” follows the usual rules of English grammar and has a separate plural form, “hypotheses.” It’s important to use the correct plural form when referring to multiple hypotheses in academic or scientific writing.

Words That Look Like Plural Nouns but Are Singular Nouns

In the English language, there are several words that look like they are plural nouns, but they are actually singular nouns. These words can be quite confusing, especially when it comes to using them in sentences. Here are some examples of such words:

  • Mathematics
  • Linguistics

It’s important to keep in mind that using these words correctly can help you sound more knowledgeable and confident in your writing. So, take some time to review the proper usage of these words and make sure you are using them correctly in your writing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the plural form of hypothesis?

The plural form of hypothesis is ‘hypotheses’.

How do you use ‘hypotheses’ in a sentence?

You can use ‘hypotheses’ in a sentence by replacing the singular ‘hypothesis’ with the plural form. For example, “The scientist tested multiple hypotheses to explain the results.”

What is the difference between hypothesis and hypotheses?

‘Hypothesis’ is the singular form of the word, while ‘hypotheses’ is the plural form.

Can you give some examples of hypotheses?

Sure! Here are some examples of hypotheses:

  • If I study for three hours a day, my grades will improve.
  • Eating a healthy diet can reduce the risk of heart disease.
  • People who exercise regularly are more likely to live longer.

What are the grammar rules for forming plurals?

The rules for forming plurals vary depending on the word. For most nouns, you simply add an ‘s’ to the end of the word. For nouns that end in ‘s’, ‘x’, ‘z’, ‘ch’, or ‘sh’, you add ‘es’ to the end. There are some exceptions to these rules, so it’s always a good idea to double-check if you’re unsure.

The plural form of hypothesis is 'hypotheses'.

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You can use 'hypotheses' in a sentence by replacing the singular 'hypothesis' with the plural form. For example, \"The scientist tested multiple hypotheses to explain the results.\"

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'Hypothesis' is the singular form of the word, while 'hypotheses' is the plural form.

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The rules for forming plurals vary depending on the word. For most nouns, you simply add an 's' to the end of the word. For nouns that end in 's', 'x', 'z', 'ch', or 'sh', you add 'es' to the end. There are some exceptions to these rules, so it's always a good idea to double-check if you're unsure.

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Why is it important to use the correct plural form?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

Using the correct plural form is important because it helps to ensure that your writing is clear and easy to understand. It also shows that you have a good understanding of grammar, which can be important in academic or professional settings.

I hope this section has helped answer some of your questions about the plural form of hypothesis!

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The Plural of Hypothesis: Here’s What It Is and How to Use It

Ever get stuck wondering what the plural form of hypothesis is in English? Perfect! This article will tell you just that plus give more facts about the word hypothesis, synonyms like a thesaurus, examples, and the history of the word. You will no doubt be an expert on all things surrounding the word hypothesis by the end of this article.

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What Is The Definition Of Hypothesis

As found in the Meriam Webster Dictionary 

  • An assumption or concession made for the sake of argument
  • an interpretation of a practical situation or condition taken as the ground for action
  • a tentative assumption made in order to draw out and test its logical or empirical consequences
  • the antecedent clause of a conditional statement

As found in the Cambridge Dictionary

  • an idea or explanation for something that is based on known facts but has not yet been proved: several hypotheses for global warming have been suggested.

In “The Origin of Hypothesis” it is phrased as a ‘scientific guess’. In the context of science, a hypothesis is a placeholder for a theory until it is proven by science to be accurate.

A scientific hypothesis sed to explain something occurring in our universe that currently does not fit into our current available scientific theories. Scientific hypotheses also include null hypothesis, working hypothesis, and alternative hypothesis. 

History and Origin of The Word

From the Greek hypotithenai to put under, suppose, from hypo- + tithenai to put. The first use of the word hypothesis can be traced back to 1596. Issac Newton actually rejected the hypothesis, he said “Hypotheses non fingo” which translates to “I Frame no hypotheses”. This was back in 1721 in Issac Newton’s book “Opticks, or A Treatise of the Reflections, Refractions, Inflections, and Colours of Light”

What Is More Than One Hypothesis Called?

The plural form of the hypothesis is hypotheses. This is the only way in the English language to make hypothesis plural. Because of the Greek origin, the rule of making a noun that ends in “is” to change it to “es.”

  • Assumption – Something taken for granted
  • Postulate- suggest or assume the existence, fact, or truth of (something) as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or belief
  • Rationale – Logic for belief, action
  • Previous observations- things that were seen or experienced in the past
  • Supposition – guess, belief
  • Theorem – explanation based on hypothesis and experiments done by experimenters using the scientific method
  • Thesis – belief, assumption to be tested
  • Conjecture – speculation, assumption
  • Conclusion – end
  • Tentative Explanation – clarification; reason
  • Guess – belief, speculation 
  • Interpretation – understanding
  • Premise – hypothesis, argument

What Is The Difference Between Hypothesis and Theory?

Since we now know that a hypothesis is a guess or assumption, how is that different from a theory? The definition of a theory is “a supposition or system of ideas intended to explain something, especially one based on general principles independent of the thing to be explained”. 

Although we might think of a theory as something that has not been 100% proven, its definition in the application of science is something that has been tested as an explanation for things occurring. It is still an explanation that is thought of as true until proven otherwise, the difference here is that a hypothesis is thought to explain something not yet tested and could also be thought of as an unproved theory or suggested explanation.

Follow these examples to see the difference in action:

  • Fact: “The clouds are dark outside.” 
  • Hypothesis: “It might storm today.”
  • Theory: “Rain clouds are dark because of their particulate density. The denser the water droplets are in the cloud the more light will be scattered, which will lead to a darker appearance.”
  • Fact: “Light roast coffee has more caffeine than dark roast coffee”
  • Hypothesis: “I should drink a cup of light roast coffee if I want more caffeine”
  • Theory: “During the roasting process caffeine is slowly burned off, therefore it is true that light roast coffee has more caffeine. You should however choose dark roast if you want more caffeine per cup because although per bean light roast has more caffeine, per gram of coffee dark roast contains more caffeine. This is because you have to consider the percent of weight loss that occurs with roasting a coffee to a dark level, which is higher than the percent of caffeine lost, therefore you have more caffeine per gram in dark roast over light roast, only by a minuscule amount.”

What Is The Difference Between An Idea and Hypothesis?

Since a hypothesis is an idea that can be tested, here are some examples of what is just an idea and can’t be tested followed by a similar idea that can be tested and is a hypothesis.

  • Idea: Biden would be a better president vs Trump – Can not be tested since we have no data. 
  • Hypothesis: Obama did a better job at fixing unemployment vs Bush – can be tested by looking at the data.
  • Idea: I could have been the best disc golfer if I started playing when I was a kid – Impossible to test
  • Hypothesis: Paul McBeth probably hit more circle 2 putts on tour last year than Ricky Wysocki. – Can be proven by looking at the data for all their putts on the PDGA tour last year.

Example Sentences In Context

The following are examples of hypothesis in context:

“We came up with the assumptions and then narrowed them down to one hypothesis for each category.” – Forbes

“The notion of hypothesis testing has recently invaded the practice of entrepreneurship as a tool to construct of new ventures” – Forbes

“There’s not one unifying hypothesis as to why, but there’s probably five to 20 different things that have contributed to it.” – USA Today

“Most thinkers or hypothesists of any degree of sobriety allow, that an hypothesis…is not to be received as probably true because it accounts for all the known phenomena since this is a condition sometimes fulfilled tolerably well by two conflicting hypotheses…while there are probably a thousand more which are equally possible, but which, for want of anything analogous in our experience, our minds are unfitted to conceive” – Underdetermination of Scientific Theory

“The expensive tissue hypothesis was focused on human brains and it was never intended as a one-size-fits-all possible explanation that applied across all mammals. The original paper even said that “the cost of the additional brain tissue could have been met by strategies other than a reduction in gut size.” – National Geographic

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What’s the Plural of Hypothesis?

  • November 19, 2022

hypothesis plural form

The plural of “hypothesis”

  • The plural of hypothesis is hypotheses (sounds like hi-paw-thuh-sea s).
  • Hypotheses is the only recognized plural of hypothesis .

What’s with the word hypothesis , and why does it behave the way it does from its singular to plural form? Keep reading.

The correct use of hypotheses (plural) in setences.

What’s the meaning of hypothesis?

Hypothesis comes from the Greek word of the same spelling,  hypothesis , meaning, “base, groundwork, foundation”. Hypothesis is made up of the Greek root words, hypo + thesis : “ hypo ” meaning “under” or “placing under”; “ thesis “, meaning “a placing, proposition”, (from Etymonline ).

So, based on the noun’s construction, hypothesis means to put or set forward a thesis or proposal to be subject to further investigating. According to Wikipedia , hypotheses are:

Tentative conjectures explaining an observation, phenomenon or scientific problem that can be tested by further observation, investigation and/or experimentation. Wikipedia on the word hypothesis.

Why is “hypotheses” plural for “hypothesis”?

"Hypothesis" (singular) in sentence examples.

Lots of people confuse the plural of hypothesis , and it’s not tough to see why: hypothesis is an irregular plural noun form that omits the -s/-es of regular plural nouns . Apart from this, the way hypothesis modifies from singular to plural effectively changes the spelling and pronunciation of the word by substituting the -sis as a singular to – ses plural.

Most nouns add an -s/-es to denote plural. Hypothesis , and similar sounding nouns such as crisis , thesis , oasis , nemesis , diagnosis , analysis and so on, all change to -ses in their plural forms.

Nouns that end in “sis”

Each of these irregular plural nouns have another thing in common: they’re all Greek words that use Greek suffixes.  So, in case you didn’t know, we all speak a bit of Greek.

crises
hypothesishypotheses

Examples of “hypothesis” (singular) in sentences

Other chemists rejected his hypothesis .
What we need is a general hypothesis to explain merger waves.
Their hypothesis is that watching excessive amounts of television reduces a person’s ability to concentrate.
The results of the experiment did not support his hypothesis .
She wrote something to summarize her hypothesis .

Examples of “hypotheses” (plural) in sentences

It will be evident that no direct record of this evolution can be expected, and recourse must be had to hypotheses founded on the indirect evidence available.
The hypotheses which carried it back to the early years of the Christian era have been wholly abandoned.
Various hypotheses have been put forward to explain this increase.
In the above work we have a combination of the redaction and sources hypotheses .
Such hypotheses attend to Aristotle’s philosophy to the neglect of his life.

Synonyms of “hypothesis”

  • supposition
  • proposition
  • explanation
  • interpretation

Read about other irregular plurals

  • What’s the plural of bison?
  • What’s the plural of moose?
  • What’s the plural of sheep?
  • What’s the plural of ox?
  • What’s the plural of cactus?
  • What’s the plural of crisis?

Origin of “hypothesis”

From etymonline:

1590s, “a particular statement;” 1650s, “a proposition, assumed and taken for granted, used as a premise,” from French hypothese and directly from Late Latin hypothesis , from Greek hypothesis .
  • Wikipedia hypothesis.
  • Synonyms for hypothesis.
  • Hypotheses sentence examples.
  • Origin of hypothesis.

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GrammarLord

A Comprehensive Analysis of The Plural Forms of Hypothesis

“Hypothesis” is often a word that sends shivers down the spines of students and makes professors’ eyes light up. Maybe because it has a fancy Greek root (“hypo” = under, “thesis” = placing). And the plural is not as straightforward as adding an “s” at the end.

No, no, no. We’re dealing with a word that loves to keep things interesting. Gladly, this article is about to crack this nut open like a science experiment.

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  • 0.1 Now, here’s the deal
  • 0.2 You need to understand this
  • 0.3 Now, here’s the thing
  • 0.4 A closer look at the verdict
  • 0.5 Now, let’s get creative with some examples
  • 1 Final Thoughts

Now, here’s the deal

The usual suspect for the plural of “hypothesis” is “hypotheses”. Yes, just add that “-es” ending and you’re good to go. Most dictionaries will give you this as the go-to plural form, and it’s perfectly acceptable in most situations.

You can confidently say things like, “The researchers tested several hypotheses” or “My cat has a million hypotheses about where his missing yarn ball went.”

You need to understand this

Just like a good scientific study, we gotta consider alternative explanations. See, “hypothesis” comes from Greek, and in Greek, there’s this whole other way of making plurals for words ending in “-sis.”

It involves adding “-ses” instead of “-es.” Some folks, especially those with a deep love for the classics, prefer to stick to this Greek-y plural form.

So, you might encounter “hypotheseses” in academic writing or among language enthusiasts.

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Now, here’s the thing

While “hypotheseses” is technically correct, it’s not exactly common in everyday speech. It can sound a bit stuffy like you’re trying to show off your fancy vocabulary.

Unless you’re writing a dissertation on ancient Greek grammar, “hypotheses” is the safer bet. But,  if you’re feeling fly and want to impress your professor with your linguistic prowess, go for it!

Just be prepared for some raised eyebrows and maybe even a chuckle or two.

A closer look at the verdict

Ultimately, the choice is yours, my friend.

Whether you stick to the classic “hypotheses” or take a walk on the wild side with “hypotheseses,” just remember: the important thing is to understand the concept behind the pluralization and to use it with confidence.

Now, let’s get creative with some examples

How can we use the plural of hypothesis in a sentence without getting some raised eyebrow?

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Here are a few examples :

“The scientist’s mind buzzed with a swarm of hypotheses, each vying for dominance in the petri dish of her imagination.” “The artist stared at the blank canvas, her brush poised like a question mark, ready to give birth to a constellation of hypotheses.”

Did you see how the plural form adds a touch of intrigue, a hint of possibility, to the scene? It’s like sprinkling magic dust on your writing, transforming it from a dull monologue to a vibrant, multi-faceted dialogue.

Final Thoughts

Now you have it! The plural of “hypothesis” laid bare. It is time to go forth and spread your newfound knowledge, one hypothesis (or maybe even hypotheseses) at a time!

The goal is to clearly reach out to your audience without flooding your writing or sentences with grammatical errors.

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IMAGES

  1. 8 Different Types of Hypotheses (Plus Essential Facts)

    hypothesis plural form

  2. How to Pronounce Hypothesis

    hypothesis plural form

  3. What is a Research Hypothesis And How to Write it?

    hypothesis plural form

  4. Hypothesis

    hypothesis plural form

  5. Research Hypothesis: Definition, Types, Examples and Quick Tips (2022)

    hypothesis plural form

  6. What Is The Plural Of Hypothesis?

    hypothesis plural form

VIDEO

  1. Step 1. Form Null Hypothesis (H_0) and Alternative Hypothesis (H_1)

  2. HYPOTHESIS in 3 minutes for UPSC ,UGC NET and others

  3. What Is A Hypothesis?

  4. Types of Hypothesis

  5. Types of Hypothesis

  6. Types of Hypothesis