empíricamente

Empíricamente is an adverb in Spanish that denotes something based on empirical evidence, observation, or experience rather than on theory alone. It is used to describe conclusions, methods, or statements whose validity rests on data obtained through experimentation or real-world observation.

It derives from empírico (empirical), which in turn comes from the Latin empiricus, via the Greek empeirikos, meaning experienced. The word is linked to phrases such as evidencia empírica and conocimiento empírico, which refer to knowledge or evidence derived from experience and observation.

In scientific and scholarly language, empíricamente indicates that findings have been tested or supported by data. Examples include: "Los resultados se verificaron empíricamente mediante ensayos controlados" and "La hipótesis fue respaldada empíricamente por la observación de variables en campo." It is commonly paired with verbs like evaluar, verificar, probar, and respaldar, and with noun phrases such as evidencia empírica or método empírico.

The term also appears in general discourse to distinguish between conclusions drawn from what se observa or se experimenta versus deductions from first principles. While empirical methods are central to many disciplines, knowledge obtained empíricamente can be affected by limitations such as muestra, sesgo y error de medición.