inference
IN-fer-uhns
/ˈɪnfərəns/
A conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning.
An inference is an educated guess or a bridge between what you see and what you conclude.
The story behind the word. From 'in' (into) and 'ferre' (to carry). An inference is a conclusion that you 'carry into' a situation based on the facts you've been given, filling in the gaps with logic.
Word relationships
- conclusion: A conclusion is the final result; an inference is the process of getting there or a step along the way.
Commonly confused with
- implication: Implication is what is suggested by the sender; inference is what is understood by the receiver.
Word family
- infer (verb): To deduce or conclude from evidence rather than from explicit statements.
- inferential (adjective): Relating to or derived by inference.
Collocations
- draw an inference
- make an inference
- reasonable inference
Example sentences
- "An inference is a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning." Standard definition of the logical process. (Oxford English Dictionary)
- "Seeing the wet umbrellas in the hallway, my inference was that it had started raining." Everyday observation.
Memory hook
IN-FER-ence: You 'FERry' (carry) the meaning 'INto' your mind. Carry the meaning in.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'implication'. A speaker implies; a listener infers.
Fun facts
- In statistics, 'inferential statistics' is the branch that allows researchers to make predictions about a large population based on a small sample.
Related words
Explore more words
conclusion, infer, deduce, predict, circumstantial, induction
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