hypothesiser

Hypothesiser is a person who formulates hypotheses, tentative explanations or educated guesses that can be tested through observation and experimentation. The term is chiefly found in British English; American English typically uses hypothesizer. The noun derives from hypothesis, which in turn comes from Greek hypo- 'under' and thesis 'a placing'. A hypothesiser is not a formal job title, but a descriptive role: a researcher or thinker who proposes a testable claim as part of a study or argument.

In scientific inquiry, the hypothesiser develops statements that explain observed phenomena and generate predictions. A good hypothesis is falsifiable, precise, and testable by experiments or observations. The hypothesiser often considers existing evidence, identifies variables (independent and dependent), and frames predictions such as 'If X occurs, then Y should be observed.' In many disciplines, the process also involves formulating a null hypothesis to be tested against the alternative.

Hypothesising is typically an early stage in the research cycle, followed by data collection, analysis, and refinement of the hypothesis based on results. While hypothesis generation is a common activity across sciences, it is not limited to formal investigators; students, practitioners, and analysts may also function as hypothesisers when proposing testable explanations.

See also: hypothesis, hypothesis testing, falsifiability, scientific method.