epistemic
|e-pis-te-mic|
/ˌɛpɪˈstɛmɪk/
relating to knowledge
Etymology
'epistemic' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'epistēmē', where the root 'epist-' meant 'knowledge'.
'epistēmē' passed into New Latin/Medieval Latin as 'epistēmē' and formed the adjective in New Latin/Modern scientific usage (e.g. 'epistemic'), which was adopted into English in the 19th century as 'epistemic'.
Initially it meant 'of or relating to knowledge', and over time it has come to be used more broadly for matters concerning knowledge, belief, justification, and related modal expressions.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to knowledge, its scope, sources, or justification (used in philosophy and epistemology).
The researcher examined the epistemic foundations of scientific theories.
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Adjective 2
concerning degrees of belief or justification (as in epistemic probability or epistemic modality).
Different cultures may have different epistemic standards for what counts as evidence.
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Last updated: 2025/10/30 07:49