inference
An inference is an idea or conclusion that’s drawn from evidence and reasoning. An inference is an educated guess.
We learn about some things by experiencing them first-hand, but we gain other knowledge by inference — the process of inferring things based on what is already known. When you make an inference, you’re reading between the lines or just looking carefully at the facts and coming to conclusions. You can also make faulty inferences. If you hear a person’s weight is 250 pounds, you might make the inference that they’re overweight. But what if they’re seven feet tall?
the reasoning involved in drawing a conclusion or making a logical judgment on the basis of circumstantial evidence and prior conclusions rather than on the basis of direct observation
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synonyms:
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types:
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analogyan inference that if things agree in some respects they probably agree in others
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corollary(logic) an inference that follows directly from the proof of another proposition
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derivationa line of reasoning that shows how a conclusion follows logically from accepted propositions
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deduction, entailment, implicationsomething that is inferred (deduced or entailed or implied)
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extrapolationan inference about the future (or about some hypothetical situation) based on known facts and observations
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presumption(law) an inference of the truth of a fact from other facts proved or admitted or judicially noticed
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type of:
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abstract thought, logical thinking, reasoningthinking that is coherent and logical