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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

theoretically en · ADV

Pronunciation

Etymology

Etymology tree English theoretical Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English theoretically From theoretical + -ly.

Meanings

  1. (not-comparable) in theory; on paper
    • Of course, it will never get -100 here like it does in Antarctica, but a 300-degree swing was still theoretically possible on a record-cold Minnesota morning–if we got the sauna hot enough. 2019 February 8, Saunatimes Guest Posts, quoting Tyler, “Father and sons take a 280 degree f. sauna, documenting the only “300 Club” in North America”, in SaunaTimes:
    • I haven't tested it, but theoretically it ought to fly.
  2. (not-comparable) in a theoretical manner
    • I solved the problem theoretically rather than practically.
  3. (not-comparable) in theory though not necessarily in reality.
    • No, but insurance does cover it. Theoretically. 2023 November 1, Honest Dentist Appointment:
    • Rumors of an indictment had spread through this heavily gay and lesbian community since shortly after the theoretically secret investigation began in 1984. 1985 December 14, Gordon Gottlieb, “L.A. Community Divided over Terrigno Indictment”, in Gay Community News, volume 13, number 22, page 10:

Deriveds

number-theoretically · set-theoretically · graph-theoretically · set theoretically

Translations (41)

it in linea teorica (in theory) · hu teoretikusan (in theory) · el θεωρητικά (in theory) · ast en teoría (in theory) · fr en théorie (in theory) · sv teoretiskt (in theory) · es en teoría (in theory) · de prinzipiell (in theory) · pl teoretycznie (in theory) · uk теоретично (in theory) · de vom Gedanken her (in theory) · fr théoriquement (in theory) · it teoricamente (in theory) · ca en teoria (in theory) · pt teoricamente (in theory) · hu elméletileg (in theory) · fi teoreettisesti (in theory) · ro teoretic (in theory) · nb teoretisk (in theory) · eu teorian (in theory) · vi về lý thuyết (in theory) · de theoretisch (in theory) · cs teoreticky (in theory) · cmn 理論上 /理论上 (in theory) · es teóricamente (in theory) · hu elvileg (in theory) · hy տեսականորեն (in theory) · ka თეორიულად (in theory) · ja 理論上 (in theory) · oc teoricament (in theory) · ca teòricament (in theory) · de rein gedanklich (in theory) · nl theoretisch (in theory) · bg теоретично (in theory) · eo teorie (in theory) · gl teoricamente (in theory) · io teoriale (in theory) · gl en teoría (in theory) · ro teoreticește (in theory) · ru теорети́чески (in theory) · sk teoreticky (in theory)