mõtestatav

Mõtestatav is Estonian adjective meaning “able to be tested” or “testable.” It describes something that can undergo empirical examination, verification, or evaluation, such as a claim, hypothesis, model, or requirement. The noun form mõtestatavus denotes the quality of being testable, or testability.

Etymology and grammar

The word is formed with the productive Estonian suffix -atav, which creates adjectives indicating possibility or capability. The base verb or stem is related to mõtestama, meaning to test or examine, and mõtestatav thus literally conveys “able to be tested.” Like other Estonian adjectives, mõtestatav inflects according to case and number in sentences. The corresponding concept of the opposite is typically expressed with negation or with a distinct term for “untestable” in context, but mõtestatav is most often used to emphasize feasibility of empirical testing.

Usage

Mõtestatav is widely used in scientific, philosophical, and technical discourse to indicate that a hypothesis, model, or claim can be empirically evaluated. In research design, a study is valued for its mõtestatavus if its hypotheses can be tested through observation or experiment. In software and product development, requirements or features may be described as mõtestatavad to emphasize their verifiability via tests or demonstrations. The term is commonly paired with related notions such as verifiability and, in a broader sense, falsifiability.

Examples

See hüpotees peab olema mõtestatav, et seda saaks kontrollida katsete abil. Nõuded projektile peaksid olema mõtestatavad ja testitavad. Mõtestatavus on oluline omadus teaduslikul meetodil.