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inferrible

 - 3 dictionary results

in⋅fer

[in-fur] verb, -ferred, -fer⋅ring.
–verb (used with object)
1. to derive by reasoning; conclude or judge from premises or evidence: They inferred his displeasure from his cool tone of voice.
2. (of facts, circumstances, statements, etc.) to indicate or involve as a conclusion; lead to.
3. to guess; speculate; surmise.
4. to hint; imply; suggest.
–verb (used without object)
5. to draw a conclusion, as by reasoning.

Origin:
1520–30; < L inferre, equiv. to in- in- 2 + ferre to bring, carry, bear 1


in⋅fer⋅a⋅ble, in⋅fer⋅i⋅ble, in⋅fer⋅ri⋅ble, adjective
in⋅fer⋅a⋅bly, adverb
in⋅fer⋅rer, noun


1. deduce, reason, guess.


Infer has been used to mean “to hint or suggest” since the 16th century by speakers and writers of unquestioned ability and eminence: The next speaker criticized the proposal, inferring that it was made solely to embarrass the government. Despite its long history, many 20th-century usage guides condemn the use, maintaining that the proper word for the intended sense is imply and that to use infer is to lose a valuable distinction between the two words.
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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

infer 
1526, from L. inferre "bring into, cause," from in- "in" + ferre "carry, bear," from PIE *bher- "to bear, to carry, to take" (cf. Skt. bharati "carries;" Avestan baraiti "carries;" O.Pers. barantiy "they carry;" Armenian berem "I carry;" Gk. pherein "to carry;" O.Ir. beru/berim "I catch, I bring forth;" Goth. bairan "to carry;" O.E., O.H.G. beran, O.N. bera "barrow;" O.C.S. birati "to take;" Rus. brat' "to take," bremya "a burden"). Sense of "draw a conclusion" is first attested 1529.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: in·fer
Pronunciation: in-'f&r
Function: verb
Inflected Forms: in·ferred; in·fer·ring
transitive verb : to derive as a conclusion from facts or premises infer acceptance of the offer from the offeree's response> intransitive verb : to draw inferences —in·fer·able also in·fer·ri·ble /in-'f&r-&-b&l/ adjective
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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