Pronunciation: [ɪnfˈɜː] (IPA) 
The word "infer" is spelled with the phoneme /ɪn/ at the beginning, which sounds like the word "in". The middle sound is the 'f' sound which is represented by the phoneme /f/. Finally, it ends with the /ər/ sound, known as the schwa sound which is the unstressed sound in many English words. The IPA transcription for "infer" is /ɪnˈfɜːr/. It means to deduce or conclude from evidence and reasoning, or to guess or speculate.
Infer is a verb that primarily means to deduce or conclude information or meaning from evidence, clues, or reasoning. When one infers, they make an educated guess or draw a logical conclusion based on the available information. This process involves analyzing and interpreting the available data or evidence and then drawing an inference or forming an opinion that is not explicitly stated. Inferences are often made in situations where there is missing or incomplete information, requiring individuals to fill in the gaps by using their analytical skills.
The act of inferring requires individuals to use their intuition, logical thinking, and cognitive abilities to draw connections, recognize patterns, and determine possible implications or outcomes. It involves going beyond the surface level and making assumptions or educated guesses about the underlying meaning, intention, or cause behind an event or statement. Inferences can be made in various contexts, including reading comprehension, scientific research, or everyday situations where one has to make judgments or predictions based on limited information.
Overall, the ability to infer is important for critical thinking and problem-solving, as it allows individuals to go beyond the explicitly stated information and make reasonable conclusions based on their analysis and reasoning.
To deduce as a fact or consequence; to assume or draw, as a conclusion, from general facts.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "infer" is derived from the Latin word "inferre", which is a combination of the prefix "in-" (meaning "in" or "into") and the verb "ferre" (meaning "to carry" or "to bear"). Thus, "inferre" originally meant "to carry in" or "to bring in". Over time, the word evolved in Latin to also mean "to bring about", "to produce", or "to cause". The English word "infer" developed from this Latin sense of "to bring about", and it refers to the act of deducing or concluding something based on evidence or reasoning.
