v., -ferred, -fer·ring, -fers. v.tr.
- To conclude from evidence or premises.
- To reason from circumstance; surmise: We can infer that his motive in publishing the diary was less than honorable.
- To lead to as a consequence or conclusion: “Socrates argued that a statue inferred the existence of a sculptor” (Academy).
- To hint; imply.
To draw inferences.
[Latin īnferre, to bring in, adduce : in-, in; see in–2 + ferre, to bear.]
inferable in·fer'a·ble adj.inferably in·fer'a·bly adv.
inferrer in·fer'rer n.
USAGE NOTE Infer is sometimes confused with imply, but the distinction is a useful one. When we say that a speaker or sentence implies something, we mean that it is conveyed or suggested without being stated outright: When the mayor said that she would not rule out a business tax increase, she implied (not inferred) that some taxes might be raised. 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 been consulting with some new financial advisers, since her old advisers were in favor of tax reductions.
