Empirical (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Relying on medical quackery; "empiric treatment".
Classification
Relational adjectives (pertainyms).
Usages
Examples
- The doctor prescribed an empiric treatment of antibiotics before the test results confirmed the diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia.
- Although there is limited research to support its use, the new herbal supplement is often used as an empiric remedy for anxiety and insomnia.
- She claimed her new-age treatment for migraines was empirically based on ancient rituals and auras, despite having no actual medical training.
- After ruling out the obvious causes of her symptoms, the physician turned to empiric therapies that relied more on guesswork than actual medical science.
- Without the aid of scientific research or data, he instead employed an empiric approach, prescribing different remedies and treatments to patients until one showed positive results.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 2
Derived from experiment and observation rather than theory; "an empirical basis for an ethical theory"; "empirical laws"; "empirical data"; "an empirical treatment of a disease about which little is known".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The new medication's effectiveness was proven on an empirical basis, showing a significant improvement in patients' recovery rates.
- Scientists collected empirical data from their research to better understand the causes of climate change.
- Her argument against the current education system was supported by empirical evidence that highlighted the importance of individualized learning.
- Empirical laws in physics were formed by observations of patterns and tested by controlled experiments to establish general principles.
- Medical professionals rely on empirical research when dealing with new or rare diseases that require treatments with little to no existing data.