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noun Uncommon

ESP

ee-es-PEE
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ESP (noun) means the supposed ability to gain information without using the ordinary senses, for example by telepathy, clairvoyance or precognition. Example: “Laboratory tests of ESP have never produced results that others could reproduce.”

noun
1
The supposed ability to gain information without using the ordinary senses, for example by telepathy, clairvoyance or precognition.
"Laboratory tests of ESP have never produced results that others could reproduce."
"He joked that his mother must have ESP, because she always knew when he was lying."
2
language teaching English for Specific Purposes: English teaching aimed at a particular field of work or study, such as medicine, aviation or law.
"The department offers ESP courses for engineering students."
abbreviation
1
written abbreviation, usually 'esp.' Short for 'especially', used in notes and informal writing.
"Bring warm clothes, esp. a waterproof jacket."

How to use ESP

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishKnowing something without seeing, hearing or being told it.

When to use it

'ESP' for extrasensory perception is spoken; 'esp.' for 'especially' is written only.

Memory tip

Do not use 'esp.' for 'especially' in formal writing; spell the word out.

Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
EPS → ESPN intuition → psychic →
Common pairings
believe in ESP tests of ESP a kind of ESP
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Laboratory tests of _____ have never produced results that others could reproduce.

Etymology

An initialism of 'extrasensory perception' in the main sense; the written abbreviation 'esp.' is simply a clipping of 'especially'.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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extrasensory perception sixth sense second sight psychic ability telepathy clairvoyance

Related words

intuition clairvoyance telepathy precognition clairvoyant foreknowledge

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between ESP and intuition?
Intuition is a fast judgement drawn from experience and cues you have not consciously noticed, and it is well documented. ESP claims knowledge obtained with no sensory input at all, which mainstream science does not accept as demonstrated.
Is there scientific evidence for ESP?
Decades of experiments, most famously card-guessing and Ganzfeld studies, have produced occasional positive results, but none that hold up reliably when independent teams repeat them under tight controls. The scientific consensus is that ESP has not been shown to exist.
What are the main types of ESP said to exist?
The usual categories are telepathy, reading another mind; clairvoyance, perceiving distant objects or events; and precognition, knowing something before it happens. Psychokinesis, affecting objects by thought, is often grouped with them but is technically a different claim.
What is the meaning of ESP?
"ESP" (noun) means the supposed ability to gain information without using the ordinary senses, for example by telepathy, clairvoyance or precognition.

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