practical vs speculative

practical

noun
  • A prop that has some degree of functionality, rather than being a mere imitation. 

  • A light fixture used for set lighting and seen in the frame of a shot as part of the scenery. 

  • A part of an exam or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability 

  • Laboratory experiment, test or investigation 

adj
  • Light fixtures used for set lighting and seen in the frame of a shot as part of the scenery. 

  • Being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation; able to be put to use. 

  • Of a prop: having some degree of functionality, rather than being a mere imitation. 

  • Of a person, having skills or knowledge that are practical. 

  • Relating to, or based on, practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis. 

speculative

adj
  • Pursued as a gamble, with possible large profits or losses; risky. 

  • Pertaining to financial speculation; Involving or resulting from high-risk investments or trade. 

  • Characterized by speculation; based on guessing, unfounded opinions, or extrapolation. 

How often have the words practical and speculative occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )