German word

Spekulation

Pronunciation

IPA/ʃpekulaˈtsi̯oːn/

Meaning

  • feminine nounspeculation

Example

Es gab viele Spekulationen über seinen Rücktritt.

There was much speculation about his resignation.

Illustration for Spekulation (speculation)

More examples

In sozialen Medien entstehen häufig Spekulationen über Prominente.

Speculation about celebrities often emerges on social media.

Core concept

A mind builds a story about hidden causes or future events from incomplete evidence, while a trader may place money on the same uncertain outlook.

Common phrases

  • finanzielle Spekulationen

    financial speculation

  • Spekulationen anstellen

    engage in speculation

  • wilde Spekulationen

    wild speculation

Similar words

Vermutung: An uncertain expectation formed when reliable proof is lacking.
Gerücht: A circulating claim whose truth has not been confirmed.
Annahme: A provisional belief accepted to guide further reasoning or action.

Definition in German

Der Vorgang, ohne gesicherte Informationen Annahmen über Ursachen, Absichten oder mögliche Entwicklungen zu bilden.

Word origin

Spekulation comes from Latin speculatio, meaning observation or contemplation, and later acquired the senses of conjecture and financial risk-taking.

Usage tips

  • German uses Spekulation for both unverified conjecture and financial speculation, so context or an adjective such as finanzielle often clarifies the meaning.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word