conjecture

American  

[kuhn-jek-cher] / kənˈdʒɛk tʃər /

noun

1. the formation or expression of an opinion or theory without sufficient evidence for proof.

2. an opinion or theory so formed or expressed; guess; speculation.

   Synonyms:

   hypothesis, theory, supposition, inference, surmise

3. Obsolete. the interpretation of signs or omens.

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verb (used with object)

conjectured, conjecturing

1. to conclude or suppose from grounds or evidence insufficient to ensure reliability.

   Synonyms:

   presume, suppose, surmise

verb (used without object)

conjectured, conjecturing

1. to form conjectures.

conjecture British  

/ kənˈdʒɛktʃə /

noun

1. the formation of conclusions from incomplete evidence; guess

2. the inference or conclusion so formed

3. obsolete interpretation of occult signs

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verb

1. to infer or arrive at (an opinion, conclusion, etc) from incomplete evidence

Related Words

See guess.

Other Word Forms

• conjecturable adjective
• conjecturably adverb
• conjecturer noun
• misconjecture verb
• nonconjecturable adjective
• nonconjecturably adverb
• preconjecture verb (used with object)
• unconjecturable adjective
• unconjectured adjective

Etymology

Origin of conjecture

First recorded in 1350–1400; (for the noun) Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin conjectūra “inference, reasoning,” from conject(us) “thrown together” (past participle of conicere, conjicere “to throw together, form a conclusion,” from con- con- + -icere, -jicere, combining form of jacere “to throw”) + -ūra -ure; (for the verb) late Middle English conjecturen, from Middle French, from Late Latin conjecturāre, derivative of the noun

Example Sentences

A robot that seems “as intelligent, as attentive, and as faithful, as a dog” — no earlier than 2048, he conjectured in 2018.

From Los Angeles Times

One might as well conjecture that 1939’s “The Women” was a metaphor for the Nazi invasion of Poland.

From The Wall Street Journal

In a paper in the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, the writers conjecture that sites such as this may lie at the origin of local Breton legends of sunken cities.

From BBC

And the exact causes of Hamilton's struggles in 2025 remain a point of conjecture.

From BBC

"This unprecedentedly clear signal of the black hole merger known as GW250114 puts to the test some of our most important conjectures about black holes and gravitational waves," Isi said.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• guesswork
• hunch
• hypothesis
• inference
• supposition