The meaning of SPECULATIVE is involving, based on, or constituting intellectual speculation; also : theoretical rather than demonstrable. How to use speculative in a sentence.

SPECULATIVE definition: 1. based on a guess and not on information: 2. bought or done in order to make a profit in the…. Learn more.

Speculative execution, in computer systems is doing work, the result of which may not be needed. This performance optimization technique is used in pipelined processors and other systems Speculative …

Dec 14, 2025 · Adjective speculative (comparative more speculative, superlative most speculative) Characterized by speculation; based on guessing, unfounded opinions, or extrapolation.

Speculative describes very risky and unproven ideas or chances. You might have great ideas about starting your own business but your plans are speculative until you earn money from them.

Speculative is used to describe activities which involve buying goods or shares, or buildings and properties, in the hope of being able to sell them again at a higher price and make a profit. …

There are 18 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word speculative, six of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

When something is described as speculative, it implies that it involves speculation or guesswork rather than being firmly grounded in certainty or reality. It can apply to various domains, including …

SPECULATIVE definition: pertaining to, of the nature of, or characterized by speculation, contemplation, conjecture, or abstract reasoning. See examples of speculative used in a sentence.

Synonyms for SPECULATIVE: hypothetical, theoretical, conjectural, academic, suppositional, unproven, unproved, alleged; Antonyms of SPECULATIVE: actual, real, factual, practical, clinical, definite, …