Library / English Dictionary

OBSERVATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of observing; taking a patient look

Synonyms:

observance; observation; watching

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("observation" is a kind of...):

look; looking; looking at (the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "observation"):

monitoring (the act of observing something (and sometimes keeping a record of it))

sighting (the act of observing)

stargazing (observation of the stars)

Derivation:

observe (stick to correctly or closely)

observe (observe with care or pay close attention to)

observe (watch attentively)

observe (follow with the eyes or the mind)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of making and recording a measurement

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("observation" is a kind of...):

measure; measurement; measuring; mensuration (the act or process of assigning numbers to phenomena according to a rule)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "observation"):

radio observation (an observation made with a radio telescope)

Derivation:

observe (stick to correctly or closely)

observe (discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The act of noticing or paying attention

Example:

he escaped the notice of the police

Synonyms:

notice; observance; observation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("observation" is a kind of...):

attending; attention (the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "observation"):

mind (attention)

remark (explicit notice)

Derivation:

observe (follow with the eyes or the mind)

observe (watch attentively)

observe (observe with care or pay close attention to)

observe (make mention of)

observe (stick to correctly or closely)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Facts learned by observing

Example:

he reported his observations to the mayor

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("observation" is a kind of...):

fact (a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "observation"):

scientific fact (an observation that has been confirmed repeatedly and is accepted as true (although its truth is never final))

Derivation:

observe (stick to correctly or closely)

observe (observe with care or pay close attention to)

observe (discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of)

observe (watch attentively)

observe (follow with the eyes or the mind)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A remark expressing careful consideration

Synonyms:

observation; reflection; reflexion

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("observation" is a kind of...):

comment; input; remark (a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information)

Instance hyponyms:

Parkinson's law (C. Northcote Parkinson's cynical observation that the number of subordinates in an organization will increase linearly regardless of the amount of work to be done)

Parkinson's law (C. Northcote Parkinson's cynical observation that work will expand so as to fill the time available for its completion)

Derivation:

observe (stick to correctly or closely)

observe (observe with care or pay close attention to)

observe (discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of)

observe (watch attentively)

observe (follow with the eyes or the mind)

Credits

 Context examples: 

This SDTM class captures the observations resulting from planned evaluations to address specific tests or questions such as laboratory tests, ECG testing, and questions listed on questionnaires.

(CDISC Findings Class, NCI Thesaurus)

The terminology subset that includes terms relevant to the Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC) observation classes.

(CDISC Observation Class Terminology, NCI Thesaurus)

“There is no saying much for the delicacy of our good friends, the Eltons,” was his next observation.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

It was a reference to the future, which Anne, after a little observation, felt she must submit to.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Then she sighed, and fell into a reverie from which she did not wake till the early twilight sent her down to take new observations, which only confirmed her suspicion.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

New observations reveal that its regions formed separately over multiple eras of star birth.

(SOFIA Reveals How the Swan Nebula Hatched, NASA)

Waldron, very flushed and warlike, continued his observations.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

My position, Miss Eyre, with my back to the fire, and my face to the room, favours observation.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Astronomers will continue collect observations to further characterize the comet's physical properties (size, rotation, etc.) and also continue to better identify its trajectory.

(Newly Discovered Comet Is Likely Interstellar Visitor, NASA)

Predictive of abnormal acid-base status at time of observation.

(Abnormal Continuous Cardiotocography Pattern, NCI Thesaurus)