different between hypothetical vs handwavium

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ?????????? (hupothetikós)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?ha?p????t?kl/

Adjective

hypothetical (comparative more hypothetical, superlative most hypothetical)

1. Based upon a hypothesis; conjectural
2. (philosophy) conditional; contingent upon some hypothesis/antecedent

Synonyms

• conjectural
• (contingent upon some hypothesis): conditional

Antonyms

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

Translations

Noun

hypothetical (plural hypotheticals)

1. A hypothetical situation or proposition

   These hypotheticals serve no purpose until we have more information.

Related terms

• hypothesis
• hypothesize

English

Etymology

hand waving +? -ium (“the chemical element suffix”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /hand?we?.vi.?m/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /hænd?we?.vi.?m/
• Hyphenation: hand?wav?i?um

Noun

handwavium (uncountable)

1. (informal, fiction) Any hypothetical but unobtainable material with desirable engineering properties.

Synonyms

• unobtainium