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Definition of pseudoscientific

pseudoscientific

/ˌsuːdoʊˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk/
pseu · do · sci · en · tif · ic
Adverb:pseudoscientifically
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pseudoscientific Lexical Profile

• adjective

1

Falsely or mistakenly claimed to be based on the scientific method, or lacking genuine empirical evidence and testability despite appearing scientific.

Example

"The medical board warned patients against relying on pseudoscientific treatments that have never been validated by clinical trials."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for pseudoscientific
Antonyms
View all antonyms for pseudoscientific

Word Nuance & Usage

Unlike 'unscientific', which simply describes something that does not follow scientific methods, 'pseudoscientific' specifically refers to beliefs or practices that falsely claim or appear to be scientific while lacking empirical evidence and testability.

• Rhymes for pseudoscientific

• Nearby Words

pseudonym
pseudonymously
pseudoscience
pseudoscientific
pseudoscientist
psi
psoralea

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in the early 19th century by combining the Greek prefix 'pseudo-' (meaning 'false') with 'scientific', from Latin 'scientia' ('knowledge').

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Pseudoscientific. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/pseudoscientific
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