Dictionary

infer en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ɪnˈfɜː(ɹ)/ Lancashire, fair–fur merger
• /ɪnˈfɛr/ (Scotland)
• /ɪnˈfɛː/ Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger
• /ɪnˈfɝ/ (Canada, General-American)
• /ɪnˈfɜː/ (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)
• /ənˈføː/ (New-Zealand)
• /ɪnˈfeː/ Liverpool, fair–fur merger
• (California, Southern) audio

Etymology

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.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence.
   • 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. 2010 October 7, “Keep calm, but don't carry on”, in The Economist:
2. (often, proscribed, transitive) To lead to (something) as a consequence; to imply.
   • This doth infer the zeal I had to see him. c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene v]:
   • 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.
   • These and a thousand like propositions, which concurre in this purpose, do evidently inferre [translating sonnent] some thing beyond patient expecting of death it selfe to be suffered in this life[…]. 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 3, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
3. (obsolete) To cause, inflict (something) upon or to someone.
   • faire Serena[…]fled fast away, afeard / Of villany to be to her inferd[…]. 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto VIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
4. (obsolete) To introduce (a subject) in speaking, writing etc.; to bring in, to adduce.
   • Full well hath Clifford played the orator, / Inferring arguments of mighty force. c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:

Forms

Deriveds

inferrable · inferability · inference · inferral · inferable · uninferant · misinfer · inferrer · subinfer · reinfer

Relateds

-ferous · illative · illation

Synonyms

entail · conclude · construe · educe · deduce · imply · suggest

Translations (64)

la coniecto (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · th อนุมาน (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · de zur Folge haben (to lead to as a consequence) · pl wnioskować (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · fi johtaa (to lead to as a consequence) · es inferir (to lead to as a consequence) · bg заключавам (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · de schließen (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · fi päätellä (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · fi selittää (to lead to as a consequence) · ru дога́дываться (to lead to as a consequence) · oc deduire (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · it implicare (to lead to as a consequence) · oc inferir (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · fi tehdä johtopäätös (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · pl wydedukować (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · de folgern (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · it dedurre (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · bg загатвам (to lead to as a consequence) · it inferire (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · ru вы́вести (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · pt inferir (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · pl dedukować (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · el συμπεραίνω (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · cmn 推斷 /推断 (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · ru сде́лать заключе́ние (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · ro infera (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · tr manasına gelmek (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · hu kikövetkeztet (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · cy enwytho (to lead to as a consequence) · ru заключи́ть (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · oc dedurre (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · sv sluta sig till (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · mi hīkaro (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · cs vyvodit (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · oc dedusir (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · cs dopadnout (to lead to as a consequence) · el υπαινίσσομαι (to lead to as a consequence) · ro motiva (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · ru предполага́ть (to lead to as a consequence) · tr sonucunu çıkarmak (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · hu dedukál (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · tr anlam çıkarmak (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · it concludere (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · es inferir (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · tr anlamına gelmek (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · fr déduire (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · hu következtet (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · nl concluderen (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · ru догада́ться (to lead to as a consequence) · pl wywnioskować (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · fr inférer (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · de schlussfolgern (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · uk робити висновок (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · ru сде́лать вы́вод (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · el υπονοώ (to lead to as a consequence) · tr mana çıkarmak (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · it infliggere (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · de Schlüsse ziehen (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · ca inferir (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · tr anlamak (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · cy enwytho (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · ro deduce (to introduce (something) as a reasoned conclusion; to conclude by reasoning or deduction, as from premises or evidence) · ru предположи́ть (to lead to as a consequence)