# empirical

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ɪmˈpɪɹɪkəl/ · frequency rank #12,590

## Definitions
1. Pertaining to or based on experience, as opposed to theory.
2. Pertaining to, derived from, or testable by observations made using the physical senses or using instruments which extend the senses.
3. Verifiable by means of scientific experimentation.

## Etymology
From empiric + -al.

## Easily confused with
- **empirically** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/empirical-vs-empirically)

## Common misspellings (13)
`emiprical`, `emmpirical`, `empiircal`, `empircial`, `empiriacl`, `empiricall`, `empiriccal`, `empiricla`, `empirrical`, `emppirical`, `empriical`, `epmirical`, `mepirical`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/empirical