inference

noun

in·​fer·​ence ˈin-f(ə-)rən(t)s 

-fərn(t)s

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 of the former

b

: the act of passing from statistical sample data to generalizations (as of the value of population parameters) usually with calculated degrees of certainty

3

: the premises and conclusion of a process of inferring

Synonyms

• conclusion
• consequence
• deduction
• determination
• eduction
• induction
• sequitur

Examples of inference in a Sentence

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

The writer of science fiction extends or projects or draws inferences from what is known and accepted. —Karl Kroeber, Romantic Fantasy and Science Fiction, 1988

Its existence is only known by inference.

The program uses records of past purchases to make inferences about what customers will buy in the future.

What inference can we draw from these facts?

Recent Examples on the Web

For instance, Huawei Cloud's Ascend service has dramatically reduced the development time for large model training from five months to just one, while Moonshot AI's collaboration with Alibaba Cloud has significantly boosted model inference efficiency. —Mark Greeven, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024

This is yet another 2024 favorite that requires strong attention to detail and logical inference from very small hints. —Ars Technica, 22 Dec. 2024

The findings also demonstrate how skilled anthropologists have become at reconstructing ancient DNA and analyzing it to make inferences about the course of human history. —Evan Bush, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024

The cost of inference has fallen by a factor of 10 per year, pushed down by new AI algorithms, inference technologies, and better chips at lower prices. —Kai-Fu Lee, WIRED, 26 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

see infer

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

inference

noun

in·​fer·​ence ˈin-f(ə-)rən(t)s 

1

: the act or process of inferring

2

: something inferred

Legal Definition

inference

noun

in·​fer·​ence ˈin-fə-rəns 

1

: the act or process of inferring

specifically : the act of passing from one proposition, statement, or judgment considered as true to another whose truth is believed to follow logically from that of the former

2

: something inferred

especially : a proposition arrived at by inference see also permissive presumption at presumption

3

: the premises and conclusions of a process of inferring