hypothetical

From Ancient Greek ὑποθετικός (hupothetikós)

• IPA^(key): /ˌhaɪpəˈθɛtɪkl/

hypothetical (comparative more hypothetical, superlative most hypothetical)

1. Based upon a hypothesis; conjectural
   • 2006, ACLU v. NSA (District Court opinion):

     To establish standing under Article III, a plaintiff must satisfy the following three requirements: (1) "the plaintiff must have suffered an injury in fact - an invasion of a legally protected interest which is (a) concrete and particularized, and (b) actual or imminent, not conjectural or hypothetical"; ...

2. (philosophy) conditional; contingent upon some hypothesis/antecedent

• conjectural
• (contingent upon some hypothesis): conditional

• (actual): actual
• (in philosophy): categorical

hypothetical (plural hypotheticals)

1. A hypothetical situation or proposition

   These hypotheticals serve no purpose until we have more information.

• hypothesis
• hypothesize