adj
speculative
SPEHK-yoo-luh-tihv
adj
1
Based on guesswork or unproven theory rather than solid fact.
"The scientist was careful to label her early findings as speculative."
2
Involving significant financial risk in the hope of a large reward.
"They put their bonus into a speculative investment that could double or vanish."
How to Use Speculative
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNot confirmed — either an unproven idea, or a financially risky bet.
Common pairings
speculative fiction
speculative investment
purely speculative
Word Forms
more speculative comparative, most speculative superlative
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Etymology
From Late Latin speculativus, from Latin speculor ("to observe, spy out").