counterhypothesis

noun

coun·​ter·​hy·​poth·​e·​sis ˌkau̇n-tər-hī-ˈpä-thə-səs How to pronounce counterhypothesis (audio)
variants or counter-hypothesis
plural counterhypotheses ˌkau̇n-tər-hī-ˈpä-thə-ˌsēz How to pronounce counterhypothesis (audio) or counter-hypotheses
: a hypothesis that contradicts another hypothesis
What can be said … of the conflicts that occur when traditional humanistic methods of interpretation run up against the questions, objections, and counterhypotheses of so-called revisionist art history?Mark Roskill
Science is a negotiation—an iterative process rooted in asking questions, in testing hypotheses and counter-hypotheses.Eric Holt Gimenez

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of counterhypothesis was in 1847

Dictionary Entries Near counterhypothesis

Cite this Entry

“Counterhypothesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterhypothesis. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!