What does "science" mean?
A particular discipline or branch of knowledge that is natural, measurable or consisting of systematic principles rather than intuition or technical skill.
Science
/ˈsaɪ.əns/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A particular discipline or branch of knowledge that is natural, measurable or consisting of systematic principles rather than intuition or technical skill.
- Grammar: science is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: academic discipline, academic specialty, applied science, area.
- Useful contrasts: the arts, arte, artistry.
- Usage evidence: Mathematics is the part of science you could continue to do if you woke up tomorrow and discovered the universe was gone.
How to use "science"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "science" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "science" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "science" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "science" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "science" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "academic discipline" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "science", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A particular discipline or branch of knowledge that is natural, measurable or consisting of systematic principles rather than intuition or technical skill. countable
"Economics is a messy discipline: too fluid to be a science, too rigorous to be an art. Perhaps it is fitting that economists’ most-used metric, gross domestic product (GDP), is a tangle too. GDP measures the total value of output in an economic territory. Its apparent simplicity explains why it is scrutinised down to tenths of a percentage point every month."
- 2 Obsolete spelling of scion. alt-of, obsolete
- 3 ability to produce solutions in some problem domain wordnet
- 4 Specifically the natural sciences. countable, uncountable
"My favorite subjects at school are science, mathematics, and history."
- 5 a particular branch of scientific knowledge wordnet
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 Knowledge gained through study or practice; mastery of a particular discipline or area. archaic, uncountable
"For by his mightie Science he had seene / The secret vertue of that weapon keene […]"
- 7 The fact of knowing something; knowledge or understanding of a truth. countable, uncountable
"O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding vain and profane babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen."
- 8 The collective discipline of study or learning acquired through the scientific method; the sum of knowledge gained from such methods and discipline. uncountable
"‘I always ask leave, in the interests of science, to measure the crania of those going out there,’ he said."
- 9 Knowledge derived from scientific disciplines, scientific method, or any systematic effort. uncountable
"While much good science has come from the Hubble telescope (including the most reliable measure to date for the expansion rate of the universe), you would never know from media accounts that the foundation of our cosmic knowledge continues to flow primarily from the analysis of spectra and not from looking at pretty pictures."
- 10 The scientific community. collective, uncountable
"Science knows it doesn't know everything; otherwise, it'd stop."
- 11 Synonym of sweet science (“the sport of boxing”). countable, euphemistic, uncountable, with-definite-article
"From a conviction, that the science is universally understood, the strong are taught humility, and the weak confidence. Many have laughed at the idea, that Boxing is of national service, but they have laughed at the expence^([sic]) of truth."
Verb
- 1 To cause to become versed in science; to make skilled; to instruct. dated, transitive
"I mock'd at all religious Fear, Deep-scienced in the mazy Lore Of mad Philosophy"
- 2 To use science to solve a problem. colloquial, humorous, transitive
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Mathematics is the part of science you could continue to do if you woke up tomorrow and discovered the universe was gone."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "science"?
Common synonyms include: academic discipline, academic specialty, applied science, area, arena, art.
How do you use "science" in a sentence?
Mathematics is the part of science you could continue to do if you woke up tomorrow and discovered the universe was gone.
How do you pronounce "science"?
Pronounced /ˈsaɪ.əns/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English science, scyence, borrowed from Old French science, escience, from Latin scientia (“knowledge”), from sciens, the present participle stem of scire (“to know”).
Etymology 2
See scion.