Definition of SPECULATE

speculate

Verb

  • to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds
  • talk over conjecturally, or review in an idle or casual way and with an element of doubt or without sufficient reason to reach a conclusion
  • reflect deeply on a subject
    • "philosophers have speculated on the question of God for thousands of years"
  • invest at a risk
  • To think, meditate or reflect on a subject; to consider, to deliberate or cogitate.
  • To make an inference based on inconclusive evidence; to surmise or conjecture.
  • To make a risky trade in the hope of making a profit; to venture or gamble.
  • To anticipate which branch of code will be chosen and execute it in advance.

Origin / Etymology

Borrowed from Latin speculātus, perfect active participle of speculor (“to watch, observe, examine, spy”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from specula (“a watchtower”), ultimately from speciō (“to look at”).

Scrabble Score: 13

speculate: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
speculate: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
speculate: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 17

speculate: valid Words With Friends Word