in·fer
- To conclude from evidence or by reasoning: "For many years the cerebral localization of all higher cognitive processes could be inferred only from the effects of brain injuries on ...
- To involve by logical necessity; entail: "Socrates argued that a statue inferred the existence of a sculptor" (Academy).
- (Usage Problem) To indicate indirectly; imply.
Full Answer
What is inferring meaning?
Inferring means figuring out something that the author doesn't actually say. You can use clues that are in the text, and things from your own mind. Sometimes it's called "reading between the lines," and it adds a lot more meaning to the story.
What does it mean to infer something?
This word means to derive as a conclusion from facts, as well as to guess or surmise. In short, inferring something means to draw inferences. Uses of infer include to draw deductions or implications from different premises, to hint at something, to to make a valuable distinction between two things.
What is the meaning of inference and example?
The key process here is called inference. An inference is any additional information used by the hearer to connect what is said to what must be meant. In • example (2), the hearer has to infer that the name of the writer of a book can be used to identify a book by that writer.
How do you use inference in a sentence?
Four types of sentence structure .
- Simple Sentences with “inference”. A simple sentence with “inference” contains a subject and a verb, and it may also have an object and modifiers.
- Compound Sentences with “inference”. A compound sentence with “inference” contains at least two independent clauses. ...
- Complex Sentences with “inference”. ...
- Compound-Complex Sentences with “inference”. ...
What is the definition of inference?
Definition of inference. 1 : something that is inferred especially : a conclusion or opinion that is formed because of known facts or evidence. 2 : the act or process of inferring (see infer): such as. a : the act of passing from one proposition, statement, or judgment considered as true to another whose truth is believed to follow from that ...
Can we make inferences from animal research?
In spite of the fact that there are virtually no controlled clinical trials examining the effects of obesity in people, we can make some inferences from animal research. — Patrick Johnson, Skeptical Inquirer, September/October 2005 We cannot see a past event directly, but science is usually based on inference, not unvarnished observation (you don't see electrons, gravity, or black holes either). — Stephen Jay Gould, Wonderful Life, 1989
What does "inferred" mean?
to derive by reasoning; conclude or judge from premises or evidence: They inferred his displeasure from his cool tone of voice.
What does "infer" mean in English?
The English verb infer has always been used in logic to mean “to conclude by reasoning or from evidence.”. It comes from the Latin verb inferre “to carry in, enter, introduce, inflict,” composed of the prefix in- “in, into” and ferre “to carry, bear.”. Inferre meaning “to conclude, draw an inference, infer” is very rare in Latin, ...
Where does the word "infer" come from?
Origin of infer. First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin inferre, equivalent to in- + ferre “to bring, carry, bear”; see origin at in- 2, bear 1.
Is "infer" ambiguous?
Although the claimed distinction has probably existed chiefly in the pronouncements of usage guides, and although the use of infer to mean “to suggest” usually produces no ambiguity, the distinction too has a long history and is widely observed by many speakers and writers.
What does "inferred from your silence" mean?
to judge (from facts or evidence). I inferred from your silence that you were angry.
How to use "infer" and "imply"?
Usage: The use of infer to mean imply is becoming more and more common in both speech and writing. There is nevertheless a useful distinction between the two which many people would be in favour of maintaining. To infer means 'to deduce', and is used in the construction to infer something from something: I inferred from what she said that she had not been well. To imply (sense 1) means 'to suggest, to insinuate' and is normally followed by a clause: are you implying that I was responsible for the mistake?
What does "imply" mean in writing?
imply, infer - A speaker or writer implies, a hearer or reader infers; implications are incorporated in statements, while inferences are deduced from statements. Imply means "suggest indirectly that something is true," while infer means "conclude or deduce something is true"; furthermore, to imply is to suggest or throw out a suggestion, ...
What is the activity performed by a reader or interpreter in drawing conclusions that are not explicit in what is said?
Inference, on the other hand, is the activity performed by a reader or interpreter in drawing conclusions that are not explicit in what is said: When the mayor said that she would not rule out a tax increase, we inferred that she had consulted with new financial advisers, since her old advisers favored tax reductions.
What is the 9th edition of Inferential Statistics?
The ninth edition combines the two chapters on inferential statistics into one and adds material on LGBTQ populations and criteria for inferring causality in epidemiological research.
Can cause and effect relationships be inferred?
It is only from doing experiments that cause-and-effect relationships can be inferred.
