infer

CEFRB2

/ɪnˈfɜː/

verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To reach an idea or conclusion from available information.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    To cause, inflict (something) upon or to someone.

Examples

  • What can you infer from these observations?

  • What do you infer from her strange behavior?

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /ɪnˈfeː/
  • /ɪnˈfɛr/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. To lead to (something) as a consequence; to imply.

  2. To introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence.

  3. To introduce (a subject) in speaking, writing etc.; to bring in, to adduce.

More examples

In context

  • a. 1535, Thomas More, letter to Fryth the fyrste parte is not the proofe of the second. but rather contrarywyse the seconde inferreth well yͤ fyrst.

  • This doth infer the zeal I had to see him.

  • It is dangerous to infer too much from martial bluster in British politics: at the first hint of trouble, channelling Churchill is a default tactic for beleaguered leaders of all sorts.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

From his smile and cheerful voice, I can blank that he is happy.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Latin inferō, from Latin in- (“in, at, on; into”) + Latin ferō (“bear, carry; suffer”) (cognate to Old English beran, whence English bear), from Proto-Italic *ferō, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰéreti (“to bear, carry”), from the root *bʰer-. Literally “carry forward”, equivalent to “bear in”, as in concluding from a premise. Doublet of inbear.