educe

American  

[ih-doos, ih-dyoos] / ɪˈdus, ɪˈdjus /

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 /

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

• educible
  adjective
• eductive
  adjective
• uneduced
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• educing
  present
• educed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• educe
  simple
• educes
  simple
• have educed
  perfect
• has educed
  perfect
• am educing
  progressive
• are educing
  progressive
• is educing
  progressive
• have been educing
  perfect progressive
• has been educing
  perfect progressive

Past

• educed
  simple
• had educed
  perfect
• was educing
  progressive
• were educing
  progressive
• had been educing
  perfect progressive

Future

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

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Etymology

Origin of educe

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

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

educe educes educed educing

Every song in her discographical universe matters, and any surprise song she chooses will invariably educe outpourings of jubilation.

From Salon ● Oct. 13, 2023

I think that there should’ve been more discussion of what we educe from his philosophy about these issues of privacy and personal liberty that appear discussed at length in his book.

From Slate ● Mar. 28, 2017

He spreads them out, classifies them; then pores, probes, weighs, analyzes, to educe both a composite picture of the author and a meticulous evaluation of the cumulus itself.

From Time Magazine Archive

Some shaven magician from State Street would run up by rail, and, from proposals, maps, schedules of stock, etc., educe a spacious factory as easily as Aladdin's palace arose from nothing.

From Literary and Social Essays by George William Curtis

Of the Word from God that came to Master Hermit: and of his setting out Vias tuas, Domine, demonstra mihi: et semitas tuas educe me.

From The History of Richard Raynal, Solitary by Robert Hugh Benson

Because terrorism educes such strong emotions, it has led to at least five myths.

From Scientific American ● Aug. 19, 2013

Mr. Crowther, a skilled publicist, lengthily educes the candidate's fitness for office from his record in other offices.

From Time Magazine Archive

Moreover, this tender and pitiful Saviour is the Almighty One who rules both this and the invisible world, and who "from every evil still educes good."

From American Woman's Home by Catharine Esther Beecher

I cannot conclude my letter better, than by assuring my dear ——, that such is the trust and confidence we all repose in the Being, who out of evil still educes good.”

From Samboe; or, The African Boy by Mary Ann Hedge

Poor wretch, one sees what kind of meaning HE educes from Man's History, this long while past, and has got all the world to believe of it along with him.

From History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 01 by Thomas Carlyle

In 2013, the Serbian player Viktor Troicki was given an 18-month ban, which was later educed to 12 months, for declining a blood test at a tournament.

From New York Times ● Apr. 10, 2018

He educed a knowing chuckle from the inscrutable Mona Lisa, and screwed up his rubbery face with Chaplinesque glee as Baby Doll rolled out of her famed crib.

From Time Magazine Archive

I recalled what I could of how I had been educed, at age twelve.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

It is even said that all the doctrines of Deductive or Syllogistic Logic may be educed from them.

From Logic, Inductive and Deductive by William Minto

Something good in the way of inculcation may be educed from this rather biting sonnet.

From A New Atmosphere by Gail Hamilton

As a straight actor, he has the uncanny knack of educing raw emotions from himself and his audience.

From Time Magazine Archive

A debater may want for his argument less than the strict equivalent, and content himself with educing this much from his opponent's admission.

From Logic, Inductive and Deductive by William Minto

Examine its value as compared with the other in introducing a new and amusing error, and educing puns that are suggested by this, and therefore not independent of the plot.

From Shakespeare Study Programs; The Comedies by Charlotte Endymion Porter

I cannot go   Where Universal Love not smiles around,   Sustaining all yon orbs, and all their suns;   From seeming evil still educing good,   And better thence again, and better still,   In infinite progression.

From English Poets of the Eighteenth Century by Ernest Bernbaum

Whether the subject be the ‘Newspaper People,’ ‘Spiritualism,’ ‘London Gents.’ or ‘Criminal London,’ he has the happy disposition of educing good and ennobling lessons and influence from each and all.—Press.

From About London by J. Ewing (James Ewing) Ritchie

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