speculative meaning

UK US /ˈspɛkjələtɪv/ 4 syllables

speculative (adjective): not financially safe or secure.

speculative has 3 meanings in this dictionary.

speculative as an adjective

  1. not financially safe or secure
    • a bad investment
    • high risk investments
    • anything that promises to pay too much can't help being risky
    • speculative business enterprises

    Synonyms: bad, risky, high-risk

    Similar: unsound

    Related forms: speculativeness, speculate

  2. not based on fact or investigation
    • a notional figure of cost helps in determining production costs
    • speculative knowledge

    Synonyms: notional

    Similar: theoretical

    Related forms: speculativeness, speculate

  3. showing curiosity
    • if someone saw a man climbing a light post they might get inquisitive
    • raised a speculative eyebrow

    Synonyms: inquisitive, questioning, wondering

    Similar: curious

    Related forms: speculate

How to pronounce speculative

speculative is pronounced /ˈspɛkjələtɪv/ in American English. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.

Scrabble score: 18 (letter breakdown)

Word lists: words starting with SP · words ending in VE · 11-letter words

More about speculative on Wikipedia.