surmise
[ verb ser-mahyz; noun ser-mahyz, sur-mahyz ]
/ verb sərˈmaɪz; noun sərˈmaɪz, ˈsɜr maɪz /
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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RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
suriname, surinamese, surjection, surjective, surly, surmise, surmount, surmullet, surname, surpass, surpassing
Origin of surmise
1350–1400; Middle English surmisen < Anglo-French surmis(e), Middle French (past participle of surmettre to accuse < Latin supermittere to throw upon), equivalent to sur- sur-1 + mis (masculine), mise (feminine) < Latin missus, missa, equivalent to mit(tere) to send + -tus, -ta past participle suffix
SYNONYMS FOR surmise
Related forms
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for surmise
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
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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