SPECULATIVE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does speculative mean? 

• SPECULATIVE (adjective)
  The adjective SPECULATIVE has 3 senses:

1. not financially safe or secure

2. not based on fact or investigation

3. showing curiosity

  Familiarity information: SPECULATIVE used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SPECULATIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Not financially safe or secure

Synonyms:

bad; high-risk; risky; speculative

Context example:

speculative business enterprises

Similar:

unsound (not sound financially)

Derivation:

speculate (invest at a risk)

speculativeness (financial risk)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Not based on fact or investigation

Synonyms:

notional; speculative

Context example:

speculative knowledge

Similar:

theoretic; theoretical (concerned primarily with theories or hypotheses rather than practical considerations)

Derivation:

speculate (to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds)

speculate (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)

speculativeness (the quality of being a conclusion or opinion based on supposition and conjecture rather than on fact or investigation)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Showing curiosity

Synonyms:

inquisitive; questioning; speculative; wondering

Context example:

raised a speculative eyebrow

Similar:

curious (eager to investigate and learn or learn more (sometimes about others' concerns))

Derivation:

speculate (reflect deeply on a subject)

 Context examples 

Information proven as true based on documentation, measurement, or facts; not subjective or speculative.

(Objective Evidence, NCI Thesaurus)

He caught her curious and speculative eyes fixed on his hands, and, being in explanatory mood, he said:-

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

However, they conceded that it was purely speculative, and several other scientists have cautioned against linking these bursts to possible alien intelligence.

(Mysterious Radio Signals Detected from Deep Space, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

He looked over the remainder of the team with a speculative eye that summed up instantly the salient traits of each animal.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

We crossed a walk to the other part of the academy, where, as I have already said, the projectors in speculative learning resided.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Her mother too, in whose mind not one speculative thought of their marriage had been raised, by his prospect of riches, was led before the end of a week to hope and expect it; and secretly to congratulate herself on having gained two such sons-in-law as Edward and Willoughby.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

As he leaned there, he ran a calm and speculative eye over us, as though to determine the precise point of the collision, and took no notice whatever when our pilot, white with rage, shouted, Now you’ve done it!

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

When he came to the doorway into which he had seen Norman shrink, he stopped and looked in in a speculative humor.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Possible explanations for FRBs range from outbursts from rotating neutron stars with extremely strong magnetic fields, to more speculative ideas that they are directed energy sources used by extraterrestrial civilizations to power spacecraft.

(Mysterious Radio Signals Detected from Deep Space, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

After salutation, observing me to look earnestly upon a frame, which took up the greatest part of both the length and breadth of the room, he said, Perhaps I might wonder to see him employed in a project for improving speculative knowledge, by practical and mechanical operations.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)