Phrase guide

uncertainty principle

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The Heisenberg uncertainty principle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: quantum mechanics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

(quantum theory) the theory that it is impossible to measure both energy and time (or position and momentum) completely accurately at the same time

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: indeterminacy principle

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: scientific theory

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: principi d'incertesa — physical law
  • Czech: princip neurčitosti — physical law
  • Finnish: epätarkkuusperiaate — physical law
  • Greek: αρχή της απροσδιοριστίας (archí tis aprosdioristías) — physical law
  • Icelandic: óvissulögmál — physical law
  • Icelandic: frávikalögmál — physical law
  • Persian: اصل عدم قطعیت (asl-e 'adam-e qat'iyat) — physical law
  • Polish: zasada nieoznaczoności — physical law
  • Polish: zasada nieokreśloności — physical law
  • Romanian: principiul incertitudinii — physical law
  • Russian: принци́п неопределё́нноцти (princíp neopredeljónnocti) — physical law
  • Spanish: principio de indeterminación — physical law
  • Spanish: principio de incertidumbre — physical law
  • Tagalog: simulain ng dikatiyakan — physical law
  • Ukrainian: при́нцип неви́значеності (prýncyp nevýznačenosti) — physical law