Meaning : A proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations.
Meaning : A tentative insight into the natural world. A concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena.
Example :
A scientific hypothesis that survives experimental testing becomes a scientific theory.
He proposed a fresh theory of alkalis that later was accepted in chemical practices.
Synonyms : possibility, theory
Meaning : A message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence.
Synonyms : conjecture, guess, speculation, supposition, surmisal, surmise