ˈspekyəˌlā]d.]iv, -_lə], ]t], ]ēv also ]əv adjective
Etymology: Middle English speculatif, from Middle French, from Late Latin speculativus, from Latin speculatus + -ivus -ive
1.
a. : involving, based on, or constituting speculation : not established by demonstration : theoretical
a speculative approach to a problem
speculative knowledge
speculative aspects of religion
b. : given to speculation : inclined to make or accept conclusions based on theory rather than demonstration : interested in abstractions
the speculative intelligence
a speculative writer
c. : forming an object of speculation : not subject to clear-cut demonstration or analysis
speculative matters
a speculative concept
d. : marked by questioning curiosity : seeming to speculate
gave him a speculative glance
2.
a. obsolete : relating to or concerned with vision : visual
b. : giving a wide prospect or view : constituting a vantage point for seeing
a speculative height
3.
a. : engaging in or making a practice of taking risks especially in commercial matters
a speculative trader
b. : involving relatively high risk and usually an unusual potentiality for gain
a speculative enterprise
a speculative crop
also : appealing primarily to speculators
a speculative stock
a speculative situation on an exchange
c. : concerned with economic speculation
a speculative cycle
• spec·u·la·tive·ly ]ə̇vlē, -li adverb
• spec·u·la·tive·ness ]ivnə̇s, ]ēv- also ]əv-\ noun -es