Infer

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ɪnˈfɜː/

Definitions

1. To draw a conclusion based on evidence or reasoning rather than explicit statements
2. To arrive at an understanding or judgment by interpreting available information
3. To deduce or figure out something by analyzing facts and clues without direct confirmation

Etymology: The verb "infer" carries a sense of reasoning rather than physical movement, yet its roots are plainly physical. It comes from Latin "inferre," built from "in-" meaning "in" or "into" and "ferre," meaning "bear" or "carry." Literally, to infer was to bear something in, the way you might carry a load indoors. Its logical sense grew from the idea of carrying a conclusion in from a premise, so that a conclusion is brought forward from what has already been established. English shares this root with the verb "bear" itself, which descends from the same Old English ancestor, "beran." Those two words are close relatives, and "infer" also has a doublet, "inbear," which shows the same Latin source arriving in English along a different route and keeping a more literal, physical sense.

Synonyms: deduce, conclude, derive, extrapolate, gather

Antonyms: misinterpret, confuse, overlook, ignore, neglect