exact science en · NOUN
Meanings
- (qualifier:strictly) A mathematical science, i.e. a field of science such as mathematics or mathematical physics which is capable of perfectly exact results based on rigorously formal methods.
- (broadly) A field of science such as physics or chemistry that is not perfectly exact, but still capable of highly quantitative results based on methods that are not strictly rigorous, but still systematic and scrupulous.
-
(in the negative) Used contrastively to characterize something as imprecise or relying on intuition or heuristics.
It is not an exact science, but if England can play with such distinction again then nobody should be too concerned about everything going horribly wrong.
2013 October 11, Daniel Taylor, The Guardian:Jury selection isn't an exact science.
1967 Harry Levin, Why Literary Criticism Is Not an Exact Science (book title) (Harvard University Press)
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| exact sciences | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Relateds
formal science · soft science · social science · natural science · hard science
Translations (16)
de exakte Wissenschaft (field of science capable of quantitative expression) · fr science exacte (field of science capable of quantitative expression) · pl nauki ścisłe (field of science capable of perfectly exact results based on rigorously formal methods) · cmn 精密科學 /精密科学 (field of science capable of quantitative expression) · es ciencias exactas (field of science capable of perfectly exact results based on rigorously formal methods) · ja 精密科学 (field of science capable of quantitative expression) · id ilmu eksakta (field of science capable of quantitative expression) · pl nauka ścisła (field of science capable of quantitative expression) · es ciencia exacta (field of science capable of quantitative expression) · pt ciências exatas (field of science capable of perfectly exact results based on rigorously formal methods) · pt ciências exatas (field of science capable of quantitative expression) · fr science dure (field of science capable of quantitative expression) · fi eksakti tiede (field of science capable of quantitative expression) · ru то́чная нау́ка (field of science capable of quantitative expression) · nl exacte wetenschap (field of science capable of quantitative expression) · cmn 精確科學 /精确科学 (field of science capable of quantitative expression)