speculative

adjective

spec·​u·​la·​tive ˈspe-kyə-lə-tiv 

-ˌlā-

1

: involving, based on, or constituting intellectual speculation

also : theoretical rather than demonstrable

speculative knowledge

2

: marked by questioning curiosity

gave him a speculative glance

3

: of, relating to, or being a financial speculation

speculative stocks

speculative venture

speculatively adverb

Synonyms of speculative

• hypothetical
• theoretical
• conjectural

Examples of speculative in a Sentence

His conclusions are highly speculative.

a writer with a speculative mind

a speculative boom in housing construction

Recent Examples on the Web

True scale requires shifting from speculative vibe coding to a stateful, viable coding paradigm that scales trust at the speed of innovation. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026

At the heart of this speculative novel is an unspeakable atrocity that serves as the premise of Kathy’s life. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 28 Sep. 2026

The final version excludes resale marketplaces from the definition of a speculative ticket seller. — Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026

The mostly male, mostly young consumers of this content came up in the pandemic days of meme stock windfalls, speculative crypto investments, and hypebeast product drops. — Adam Erace, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English speculatif, borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Late Latin speculātīvus, from Latin speculātus, past participle of speculārī "to keep a close watch on, observe" (Late Latin, "to envision, contemplate") + -īvus -ive — more at speculate

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing speculative

• anti-speculative

Kids Definition

speculative

adjective

spec·​u·​la·​tive ˈspek-yə-lət-iv 

-ˌlāt-

1

a

: of or relating to mental speculation

speculative knowledge

b

: curious sense 1

a speculative glance

2

: of or relating to financial speculation

speculatively adverb

Legal Definition

speculative

adjective

spec·​u·​la·​tive ˈspe-kyə-lə-tiv, -ˌlā- 

1

: involving, based on, or constituting intellectual speculation

also : theoretical rather than demonstrable

speculative medical testimony concerning the cause of death

2

: of, relating to, or being a financial speculation

speculative securities

speculative home building

speculatively adverb