noun
theory of origins; origin hypothesis
Used in academic or analytical contexts to refer to a hypothesis about how something began.
この起源説はまだ証明されていない。
This theory of origins has not yet been proven.
言語の起源説には様々なものがある。
There are various hypotheses about the origin of language.
仮説 is a broader term for 'hypothesis', not necessarily about origins.
Compound of 起源 (origin) and 説 (theory, explanation).