How Do You Spell Science — a Quick Spelling Guide

Since English is not a perfectly phonetic language, spelling can sometimes be difficult for both native and non-native speakers. It might seem like there’s a grammar or spelling rule for every word, which is overwhelming. On top of that, there are exceptions to the norm!

For example, how do you spell science? Does it follow the famous “I before E, except after C” mnemonic you learned at school? This article will answer your questions and help you spell the word correctly.

What Does Science Mean?

Science is the systematic study and application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social worlds through observations and experimentation.

In Middle English, ‘science’ came from Old French, meaning knowledge, learning, application, and a corpus of human knowledge. It is derived from the Latin word scientia, meaning “knowledge, expertness, or experience,” which has its root in the Latin scire “know.”

How Do You Spell Science?

‘Science‘ is the correct and standardized spelling of the word in the English dictionary. People often misspell the word as scince, sience, and scienc in print and online. This is because the pronunciations don’t exactly hint at the correct spelling. And the silent E at the end is often left out.

This 7-lettered word is spelled as S-C-I-E-N-C-E with 3 vowels and 4 consonants. ‘Science’ has 2 syllables, sci-ence, with the stress on the first syllable. The phonetic transcription is /ˈsʌɪəns/, but it is pronounced as [sai·uhns] in both American and British English.

The digraph ‘ei’ and ‘ie’ is a common cause of misspellings, while the silent E at the end just adds to the complexity. If we talk about spelling rules, the well-known mnemonic device “I before E, except after C” doesn’t apply to the word ‘science.’ Only the “I before E.” part applies, which makes the spelling ‘science.’

Read More Scrabble blocks placed on a white background. — Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

Definition of Science With Example Sentences

‘Science’ is used as a noun in sentences. Following are its dictionary definition with example sentences to help you understand its use.

1. a field of study or knowledge concerned with facts organized in a systematic manner that reveals the operation of general laws.

2. Any branch or particular area of science.

3. a systematized knowledge of a particular subject.

Example Sentences

Where is the department of Environmental Sciences?
Physics is one of the essential science subjects.
I love science fiction movies
There have been a lot of advancements in the medical sciences.
She has exceptional talent in Science and Math.

To Wrap Up

How do you spell science? This article will help you spell the word right and learn its use in different contexts. Remember that it only follows the first part of the “I before E” rule and is spelled with the ‘ie’ digraph.