INFERENCE
inference, illation
(noun) the reasoning involved in drawing a conclusion or making a logical judgment on the basis of circumstantial evidence and prior conclusions rather than on the basis of direct observation
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Noun
inference (countable and uncountable, plural inferences)
(uncountable) The act or process of inferring by deduction or induction.
(countable) That which is inferred; a truth or proposition drawn from another which is admitted or supposed to be true; a conclusion; a deduction.
Hyponyms
• deductive inference
• inductive inference
• macroinference
• microinference
• statistical inference
• type inference
Source: Wiktionary
In"fer*ence, n. Etym: [From Infer.]
1. The act or process of inferring by deduction or induction.
Though it may chance to be right in the conclusions, it is yet unjust
and mistaken in the method of inference. Glanvill.
2. That which inferred; a truth or proposition drawn from another
which is admitted or supposed to be true; a conclusion; a deduction.
Milton.
These inferences, or conclusions, are the effects of reasoning, and
the three propositions, taken all together, are called syllogism, or
argument. I. Watts.
Syn.
– Conclusion; deduction; consequence.
– Inference, Conclusion. An inference is literally that which is
brought in; and hence, a deduction or induction from premises, --
something which follows as certainly or probably true. A conclusion
is stronger than an inference; it shuts us up to the result, and
terminates inquiry. We infer what is particular or probable; we
conclude what is certain. In a chain of reasoning we have many
inferences, which lead to the ultimate conclusion. "An inference is a
proposition which is perceived to be true, because of its connection
with some known fact." "When something is simply affirmed to be true,
it is called a proposition; after it has been found to be true by
several reasons or arguments, it is called a conclusion." I. Taylor.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition