The Word Scientist Is Younger Than You Think
Science is systematic knowledge of the natural world. The word scientist was coined in 1833, long after science itself was under way.
Science is knowledge about the natural world gained by observation and testing. The practitioners had no name for a long time: they were natural philosophers. *Scientist* was coined in 1833 by William Whewell, on the model of *artist*, and many disliked it as an ugly Americanism for decades.
- Systematic study of the natural world. *A degree in science.*
- A branch of it. *The social sciences.*
- Organised knowledge. *The science of navigation.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | science | Modern science. |
| Plural | sciences | The natural sciences. |
| Person | scientist | A research scientist. |
| Adjective | scientific | Scientific method. |
| Adverb | scientifically | Scientifically tested. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Science advances by discarding ideas that fail.The testing principle.
- It is not an exact science.Meaning judgement is involved.
- The claim has no scientific basis.A strong criticism.
How the method works
- Hypothesis — a testable proposed explanation
- Experiment — a test designed to fail if the hypothesis is wrong
- Replication — independent repetition of the result
- Peer review — assessment before publication
- Theory — a well-tested explanatory framework, not a guess
From Latin *scientia*, knowledge, from *scire*, to know. The same root gives *conscience*, knowing together, and *omniscient*, knowing everything.
Is a scientific theory just a guess?
No. In science a theory is a well-tested explanation supported by evidence. The everyday sense of theory is closer to hypothesis.
Who coined the word *scientist*?
William Whewell, in 1833, when asked what to call members of the British Association. He suggested it by analogy with artist.