a supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain something, especially one based on general principles independent of the thing to be explained 学说;论说;论,说 Darwin's theory of evolution. 达尔文的进化论。 ■a set of principles on which the practice of an activity is based 理论;学理,原理 a theory of education. 教育理论。 [mass noun]music theory. 音乐原理。 ■an idea used to account for a situation or justify a course of action 意见,看法;推测 my theory would be that the place has been seriously mismanaged. 依我看这个地方的管理十分混乱。 ■(Mathematics)a collection of propositions to illustrate the principles of a subject (数)论,理论
常用词组 in theory
used in describing what is supposed to happen or be possible, usually with the implication that it does not in fact happen 理论上(应该);照道理 in theory, things can only get better; in practice, they may well become a lot worse. 理论上情况只会变好,实际上却很可能变得更糟。
语源
late 16th cent. (denoting a mental scheme of something to be done): via late Latin from Greek theōria 'contemplation, speculation', from theōros 'spectator'