observation

Word parts

observe + -ation

Pronunciation

• (US) enPR: ŏb'zər-vāʹshən or -vāshʹn, IPA ^(key): /ˌɑbzɚˈveɪʃən/ or /-ˈveɪʃn̩/
• (UK) IPA ^(key): /ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃ(ə)n/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

Singular observation

Plural observations

1. (uncountable) Observation is the act of carefully seeing things that happen.

   To learn, you must be good at observation.

2. (countable) An observation is something someone saw, heard etc.

   In science, we record our observations so we can think about them later.

Related words

• observe
• observer