gedankenexperiment

noun

ge·dank·en·ex·per·i·ment gə-ˈdäŋ-kən-ik-ˌsper-ə-mənt

also -ˌspir-

: an experiment carried out in thought only

Examples of gedankenexperiment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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Around the same time, a group in Shenzhen also contacted us to discuss carrying out our gedankenexperiment with optical systems. —

Marc-Olivier Renou, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2023

Word History

Etymology

German, from Gedanke thought + Experiment experiment

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of gedankenexperiment was in 1941

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Gedankenexperiment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gedankenexperiment. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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