1.
[syn: theoretical, theoretic]
2. concerned with theories rather than their practical applications;
- Example: "theoretical physics"
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Theoretic \The`o*ret"ic\, Theoretical \The`o*ret"ic*al\, a. [Gr.
?: cf. L. theoreticus, F. th['e]or['e]tique.]
Pertaining to theory; depending on, or confined to, theory or
speculation; speculative; terminating in theory or
speculation: not practical; as, theoretical learning;
theoretic sciences. -- The`o*ret"ic*al*ly, adv.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
theoretical
adj 1: concerned primarily with theories or hypotheses rather
than practical considerations; "theoretical science"
[syn: theoretical, theoretic] [ant: empiric,
empirical]
2: concerned with theories rather than their practical
applications; "theoretical physics" [ant: applied]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
31 Moby Thesaurus words for "theoretical":
abstract, academic, analytical, armchair, closet, conceptual,
conjectural, debatable, fanciful, hypothetic, hypothetical, ideal,
idealized, ideational, ideological, impractical, moot, notional,
postulatory, problematical, pure, putative, speculative,
suppositional, supposititious, transcendent, transcendental,
unproved, unproven, unrealistic, untested