inductive

[ in-duhk-tiv ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or involving electrical induction or magnetic induction.
2. operating by induction:

   an inductive machine.

3. of, relating to, or employing logical induction:

   inductive reasoning.

4. Embryology. eliciting the action of an embryonic inducer.
5. serving to induce; leading or influencing (usually followed by to ).
6. introductory.

inductive

/ ɪnˈdʌktɪv /

adjective

1. relating to, involving, or operated by electrical or magnetic induction

   an inductive reactance

2. logic maths of, relating to, or using induction

   inductive reasoning

3. serving to induce or cause
4. See introductory
   a rare word for introductory
5. biology producing a reaction within an organism, esp induction in embryonic tissue

Confusables Note

See deductive.

Derived Forms

• inˈductiveness, noun
• inˈductively, adverb

Other Words From

• in·ductive·ly adverb
• in·ductive·ness noun
• anti-in·ductive adjective
• anti-in·ductive·ly adverb
• anti-in·ductive·ness noun
• prein·ductive adjective
• semi-in·ductive adjective
• unin·ductive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of inductive¹

From the Late Latin word inductīvus, dating back to 1600–10. See induct, -ive

Example Sentences

The first is an inductive power transfer from the road, which then sends power between a set of coils in the roadway and a set of coils in the car.

From Popular-Science

He writes that intelligence is governed by “inductive bias,” meaning we prefer certain hypotheses before making observations, and “approximation bias,” which means we take mental shortcuts when faced with limited resources.

From MIT Technology Review

Most wireless vehicle charging technologies rely on a process known as inductive charging, where electricity pumped into a wire coil creates a magnetic field that can induce an electric current in any other nearby wire coil.

From Singularity Hub 

The system will create real-time 3D maps of roads and intersections, replacing the current combination of inductive loop detectors, cameras, and radar.

From Ars Technica

The inductive button on the left side of the watch allows you to easily wake or sleep on the screen, which came in handy when I wanted to clear alerts or notifications.

From Popular-Science

Absent a clear answer, Obama has, in effect, asked the country to infer his goals by inductive reasoning.

From The Daily Beast

He was a great pioneer of philosophy, since he resorted to inductive methods of proof, and gave general definiteness to ideas.

From Project Gutenberg

His method is hence inductive,--the derivation of certain principles from a sum of given facts and phenomena.

From Project Gutenberg

Of inductive and deductive, the inductive 140 proofs generally go first.

From Project Gutenberg

This brings us at once to the very heart of Holbach's method which was experimental and inductive to the last degree.

From Project Gutenberg

So far, therefore, as relates to simple existence, the Inductive Logic has no knots to untie.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Inductive

What does inductive mean?

Inductive is most often used to describe a kind of reasoning or logic where general theories are formed from specific examples or incidents.

Inductive is an adjective form of the verb induct, meaning to bring about or bring in.

Simply put, inductive reasoning involves using specific observations, evidence, or patterns to make a broad conclusion. You first collect evidence or make observations and then form an answer or theory based on what you have found. Your answer can be likely, or probable, but you can’t know if it’s true without further observations. For example, after witnessing something happen at the same time every day for a year, you could use inductive reasoning to conclude that it is very likely that it will happen at the same time tomorrow.

However, inductive reasoning can often lead to wrong or illogical conclusions, even if all of the evidence is true. For example, if all the red-haired people you’ve ever met are left-handed, you might incorrectly use inductive reasoning to conclude that all red-haired people are left-handed.

Inductive reasoning is the opposite of deductive reasoning, which uses general, true information to reach specific conclusions: Dogs are mammals. Pluto is a dog. Pluto is a mammal. 

Inductive is also used to describe the scientific processes of electric and magnetic induction or things that function based on them.

Inductive is also used as a synonym for the word introductory.

Example: When police use fingerprints as evidence of a crime, they are using inductive reasoning to conclude who the likely criminal is.

Where does inductive come from?

The first records of inductive come from the early 1600s. It comes from the Late Latin word inductīvus, which is derived from the Latin verb indūcere, meaning “to introduce” or “to lead in.” The -ive ending indicates a tendency or connection (as with active and destructive).

In science and life, people often use both inductive and deductive reasoning to answer questions about the world around them. Formal inductive reasoning is complex, and a theory reached inductively should be tested to see if it is correct or makes sense. Police detectives, for example, often make theories about suspects based on inductive reasoning using crime scene evidence or witness interviews.

Faulty inductive logic can result in stereotypes. People can wrongly conclude that their observations of one person or a small group of people are true about every person of that group.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to inductive?

• inductively (adverb)
• inductiveness (noun)
• anti-inductive (adjective)
• anti-inductively (adverb)

What are some synonyms for inductive?

• a posteriori
• analytical
• inducible
• synthetic
• introductory

What are some words that share a root or word element with inductive? 

• induct
• induction
• induce
• predictive
• active

What are some words that often get used in discussing inductive?

• reasoning
• logic
• assumptions
• charging

What are some words inductive may be commonly confused with?

• deductive

How is inductive used in real life?

Inductive is most often used in the context of reasoning or logic.

Challenge your beliefs! Check your numbers! Ask questions! Use deductive and inductive reasoning! Listen, and THEN speak!

— spėctr͡e (@ghoulsglow) June 26, 2017

When people say "See you tomorrow" at the end of the workday I guess I probably shouldn't shout "INDUCTIVE LOGIC IS A LIE."

— RM (@dorsalstream) April 15, 2015

My experience of the US/Silicon Valley was that it was full of exceptional deductive thinkers and v few good inductive thinkers. But inductive thinking is far more valuable in highly uncertain environments imo. We don't talk about that enough.

— Eoin Hayes (@Eoin_Hayes) December 16, 2019

 

 

Try using inductive!

Is inductive used correctly in the following sentence?

Using inductive reasoning, I first came up with a general hypothesis and then collected evidence to test it.