educe

American  

[ih-doos, ih-dyoos] / ɪˈdus, ɪˈdyus /

verb (used with object)

educes, present (3rd person singular) educed, past participle, past educing present participle

1. to draw forth or bring out, as something potential or latent; elicit; develop.

2. to infer or deduce.

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educe British  

/ ɪˈdjuːs, ɪˈdʌktɪv /

verb

1. to evolve or develop, esp from a latent or potential state

2. to draw out or elicit (information, solutions, etc)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• eductive
  adjective
• educible
  adjective
• uneduced
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has educed
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have educed
  perfect
• are educing
  progressive
• am educing
  progressive 1st person singular
• has been educing
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• is educing
  progressive 3rd person singular
• have been educing
  perfect progressive
• educing
  participle
• educes
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had educed
  perfect
• were educing
  progressive plural
• had been educing
  perfect progressive
• was educing
  progressive singular
• educed
  participle
• educed
  simple

Future

• will educe
  simple
• will have educed
  perfect
• will have been educing
  perfect progressive
• will be educing
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of educe

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin ēdūcere, equivalent to ē- e- ¹ + dūcere to lead

Explanation

When you educe you first see the potential in something and then develop it. An artist sketching on scratch paper might later educe a painting from the casual sketches. Educe can also be used as a synonym for deduce, meaning "to reach a conclusion." Suppose members of a jury have to decide whether someone is guilty of stealing. They use the facts in the case to educe the thief's motivation. Educe comes from the Latin word ducere, meaning "lead." Think of educe as leading to something else.