- (prenominal) of, relating to, derived from, or used in science: scientific equipment
- (prenominal) occupied in science: scientific manpower
- conforming with the principles or methods used in science
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
sci•en•tif•ic /ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk/USA pronunciation
adj. working or reasoning according to a system:a scientific approach to your problems.
sci•en•tif•i•cal•ly, adv. See -sci-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- [before a noun] of or relating to science or the sciences:scientific studies.
sci•en•tif•ic
(sī′ən tif′ik),USA pronunciation adj.
sci′en•tif′i•cal•ly, adv.
- Biologyof or pertaining to science or the sciences:scientific studies.
- Biologyoccupied or concerned with science:scientific experts.
- Biologyregulated by or conforming to the principles of exact science:scientific procedures.
- systematic or accurate in the manner of an exact science.
- Medieval Latin scientificus, equivalent. to scient- (see science) + -i - -i- + -ficus -fic
- 1580–90
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
scientific /ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk/, scientifical /ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪkəl/ adj
'scientific' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
acoustics
- acronym
- Alexandrian
- Algol
- arboretum
- archaeology
- architectonics
- astronomy
- audiology
- behavioural science
- Bloomfield
- Bunsen burner
- calorie
- cgs units
- Cherwell
- considerable
- control
- conventionalism
- correction
- criminology
- CSIRO
- culture
- data
- deca-
- demography
- dietetics
- effect
- empirical
- engineering
- ethnography
- expedition
- experiment
- explore
- exploration
- Fisher
- formalism
- FORTRAN
- fps units
- front
- geology
- gerontology
- Greenwich Mean Time
- guinea pig
- Hoover
- Humboldt
- hundredth
- hypnotism
- ice station
- institute
- International Atomic Time