Falsifiability

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The property of a theory that allows it to be tested for its veracity by demonstrating its potential to be disproven through observation or experimentation
2. The attribute of a scientific assertion that permits empirical evaluation to reveal its invalidity if proven incorrect in practical tests
3. The quality of a hypothesis that enables it to be challenged and potentially refuted through observable evidence or experimental procedures

Etymology: Falsifiability is a fairly recent coinage, built from parts that are very old. It is formed from "falsifiable," which itself is "falsify" with the suffix "-able" (from Latin "-ābilis," via Old French into Middle English), plus the abstract suffix "-ity" (from Latin "-itās," via Old French and Middle English). The root "falsify" comes from Latin "falsificare," meaning to make false. The noun's meaning is the one philosophers gave it: the capacity of a claim or theory to be shown wrong by evidence. The idea is mostly associated with Karl Popper, who made it central to his account of what separates scientific claims from untestable ones, but the word itself is a straightforward, transparent compound of its parts rather than a memorable invention.

Synonyms: testability