text: what are the origins of the word "theory"?   the word ‘theory’ derives from the greek ‘theorein’, which means ‘to look at’. according to some sources, it was used frequently in terms of ‘looking at’ a theatre stage, which may explain why sometimes the word ‘theory’ is used as something provisional or not completely resembling real. the term ‘theoria’ (a noun) was already used by the scholars of ancient greece.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/theory