deduction
dih-DUK-shun
/dɪˈdʌk.ʃən/
The process of reasoning from general rules or premises to reach a specific, necessary conclusion.
Moves top-down from general principles to specific cases. If the premises are true, the conclusion is guaranteed to be true.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'de-' (down from) and 'ducere' (to lead). Deduction is literally the act of 'leading down' a conclusion from an overarching general rule.
Word relationships
- derivation: Derivation focuses on tracing something back to its origin; deduction focuses on deriving logical conclusions.
- induction: Induction reasons bottom-up from specific observations to general rules.
Commonly confused with
- induction: Deduction goes from general rule to specific result; induction goes from specific cases to general rule.
Word family
- deduce (verb): To arrive at a fact or conclusion by reasoning.
- deductive (adjective): Relating to or using deduction.
Collocations
- logical deduction
- process of deduction
- by deduction
- deduction power
Idioms & expressions
- by deduction
Example sentences
- "It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important, said Holmes by way of deduction." Literature
- "Through mathematical deduction, the physicist predicted the existence of the particle before it was ever observed." Scientific Method
Memory hook
DE-duction DE-scends from general rules down to specific conclusions. Leading logic down from general to specific.
When not to use
Do not confuse with tax deductions (financial subtractive amounts), though both share a root meaning 'taking away'.
Fun facts
- Sherlock Holmes famously claimed to use 'deduction', but most of his celebrated inferences were actually 'abduction' (finding the best explanation)!
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