Inductive

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ɪnˈdʌktɪv/

Definitions

1. A type of reasoning that draws general conclusions from specific observations or examples
2. A process of reasoning that develops general principles by examining specific cases or examples
3. A method of reasoning involving the derivation of general laws from particular instances or observations

Etymology: Inductive reasoning was not invented by a single thinker, but the word has a clear Latin ancestry. It comes from Late Latin "inductivus," a formation from "inducere," meaning "to lead in" or "to bring in," built from "in-" and "ducere," "to lead." The same verb gave English "induce," so the core idea is one of leading a mind toward a conclusion. The word reached English by way of Middle French "inductif." Its earliest sense was simply that of bringing something in or leading toward an effect, and the logical sense of drawing a general rule from particular cases grew naturally from that picture of leading the reader step by step from examples to a principle. English adopted the adjective in the same spirit, so "inductive" describes reasoning that moves upward from observations to a general claim.

Synonyms: inferential

Antonyms: deductive