Conjecture Meaning
/kənˈd͡ʒɛk.t͡ʃə(ɹ)/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA statement or an idea which is unproven, but is thought to be true; a guess.
nounA supposition based upon incomplete evidence; a hypothesis.
Sentence Examples
In any case, you are wrong in your conjecture.
The entire public and political debate is based on conjecture, not on fact.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Without any evidence, his explanation was pure ____ and not a fact.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Since there is no hard evidence yet, any theory regarding the suspect's motive is pure ____.
Word Origin & History
From Old French, from Latin coniectūra (“a guess”), from coniectus, perfect passive participle of cōniciō (“throw or cast together; guess”), from con- (“together”) + iaciō (“throw, hurl”); see jet. Compare adjective, eject, inject, project, reject, subject, object, trajectory, deject, abject, surjection, bijection, interject. Compare typologically Russian прики́дывать (prikídyvatʹ) (akin to кида́ть (kidátʹ)).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"What could have been done by such a machine downhill can only be conjectured, for the maximum speed was restricted rigidly to 80 m.p.h."
— 1952 December, 'Mercury', “Modern French Locomotive Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 804:
""Most likely he who is the shorter of the two;—no! he goes in the first, and is, of course, the eldest; but we have no time for conjecturing now."
Human reason can then, at the best, but conjecture what will be."
— 1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XIX, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 243:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Without any evidence, his explanation was pure ____ and not a fact.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Since there is no hard evidence yet, any theory regarding the suspect's motive is pure ____.