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surmise
[ verb ser-mahyz; noun ser-mahyz, sur-mahyz ]
/ verb sərˈmaɪz; noun sərˈmaɪz, ˈsɜr maɪz /
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verb (used with object), sur·mised, sur·mis·ing.
to think or infer without certain or strong evidence; conjecture; guess.
verb (used without object), sur·mised, sur·mis·ing.
to conjecture or guess.
noun
a matter of conjecture.
an idea or thought of something as being possible or likely.
a conjecture or opinion.
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Origin of surmise
1350–1400; Middle English surmisen from Anglo-French surmis(e), Middle French (past participle of surmettre “to accuse” from Latin supermittere “to throw upon”), equivalent to sur- sur-1 + mis (masculine), mise (feminine) from Latin missus, missa, equivalent to mit(tere) “to send” + -tus, -ta past participle suffix
synonym study for surmise
1. See guess.
OTHER WORDS FROM surmise
Words nearby surmise
Surinamese, Surinam toad, surjection, surjective, surly, surmise, surmount, surmountable, surmullet, surname, surpass
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use surmise in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for surmise
surmise
verb (sɜːˈmaɪz)
(when tr, may take a clause as object) to infer (something) from incomplete or uncertain evidence
noun (sɜːˈmaɪz, ˈsɜːmaɪz)
an idea inferred from inconclusive evidence
Derived forms of surmise
surmisable, adjectivesurmiser, nounWord Origin for surmise
C15: from Old French, from surmettre to accuse, from Latin supermittere to throw over, from super- + mittere to send
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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