Webster's English Dictionary

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theory

Cross references:
  1. practice               2. hypothesis            
 
the.o.ry \'the--*-re-, 'thi(-*)r-e-\ n [LL theoria, fr. Gk theo-ria, fr. 
   theo-rein] 1: the analysis of a set of facts in their relation to one 
   another  2: the general or abstract principles of a body of fact, a 
   science, or an a rt {music ~} 3: a plausible or scientifically acceptable 
   general principle or body of pr inciples offered to explain phenomena {wave 
   ~ of light} 4a: a hypothesis assumed for the sake of argument or 
   investigation  4b: SUPPOSITION, CONJECTURE  4c: a body of theorems 
   presenting a concise systematic view of a subject (~ of equations} 5: 
   abstract thought : SPECULATION