[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/inference/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [I](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/i/) / inference

# inference

noun (an inference, inferences)

«inference» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. An idea or answer you work out from clues or facts, not from being told directly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inference/#m1)
2. The act of working something out from what you already know. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inference/#m2)
3. (formal, maths and science) A conclusion drawn from data or from a set of statements by careful reasoning. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inference/#m3)

### In the lessons

In reading lessons pupils "make an inference" about how a character feels from clues in the text. In science an inference goes beyond what you saw: you see wet ground and infer it rained. In maths and statistics an inference is a conclusion drawn from data. Phrases: make an inference, draw an inference, by inference.

### Examples

- From the muddy boots, my inference was that Dad had been in the garden. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inference/#x1)
- Our teacher asked us to make an inference about why the boy was crying. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inference/#x2)
- The detective's inference was right: the thief had a key. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inference/#x3)
- You saw smoke, so the inference is that something is burning. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inference/#x4)
- It is only an inference, not a fact, so check it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inference/#x5)
- The report draws an inference from the survey data (formal). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inference/#x6)
- By inference, the missing number must be bigger than ten. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inference/#x7)

### Note

Countable noun: an inference, two inferences. Verb: infer (infer, infers, inferred, inferring). Trap: an observation is what you see; an inference is what you decide it means. Do not confuse "infer" (the listener works it out) with "imply" (the speaker hints it). In word problems, an inference is a fact the problem does not state but you must work out.

## In Jewish tradition

In reading lessons pupils "make an inference" about how a character feels from clues in the text. In science an inference goes beyond what you saw: you see wet ground and infer it rained. In maths and statistics an inference is a conclusion drawn from data. Phrases: make an inference, draw an inference, by inference.

### Examples

- As al- ready demonstrated, the lirst alphabet invented was similar to that still used by the Berbers, whence the inference, that there may have been a time when the Hebrews also used such an alphabet. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/I/inference/#x1)

### Note

Countable noun: an inference, two inferences. Verb: infer (infer, infers, inferred, inferring). Trap: an observation is what you see; an inference is what you decide it means. Do not confuse "infer" (the listener works it out) with "imply" (the speaker hints it). In word problems, an inference is a fact the problem does not state but you must work out.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «inference» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inference/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«inference» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/inference.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «inference» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/I/inference/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«inference» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/inference.html) on Mova free.