conjecture
pronunciation
How to pronounce conjecture in British English:
UK [kənˈdʒektʃə(r)]
How to pronounce conjecture in American English:
US [kənˈdʒɛktʃɚ]
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- Noun:
- a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence)
- a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence
- reasoning that involves the formation of conclusions from incomplete evidence
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- Verb:
- to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds
Word Origin
- conjecture
- conjecture: [14] A conjecture is, etymologically speaking, simply something ‘thrown together’. The word comes, perhaps via Old French, from Latin conjectūra ‘conclusion, interpretation’, a noun derived from the past participle of conicere ‘throw together’. This was a compound verb formed from the prefix com- ‘together’ and jacere ‘throw’ (source of English jet, jettison, and jetty). The notion behind the word’s semantic development is that facts are ‘thrown together’ in the mind and (provisional) conclusions drawn.=> jet, jettison, jetty
- conjecture (n.)
- late 14c., "interpretation of signs and omens," from Old French conjecture "surmise, guess," or directly from Latin coniectura "conclusion, interpretation, guess, inference," literally "a casting together (of facts, etc.)," from coniectus, past participle of conicere "to throw together," from com- "together" (see com-) + iacere "to throw" (see jet (v.)). Sense of "forming of opinion without proof" is 1530s.
- conjecture (v.)
- early 15c., from conjecture (n.). In Middle English also with a parallel conjecte (n.), conjecten (v.). Related: Conjectured; conjecturing.
Example
- 1. Conjecture surrounds why the poetry was lost when much earlier writing survived .
- 2. Here is why evolution is science and not conjecture .
- 3. What would be the null hypothesis , the kind of conjecture that you 'd make assuming nothing further .
- 4. Though we all endlessly conjecture what makes a ' good ' or ' bad ' logo , one must remember in the end , the ultimate arbiter of logo design greatness may only be the satisfied , paying client .
- 5. Unlike her essays , which warned against looking for hidden depth , her personal prose champions freudian conjecture : on her dislike of her body ( particularly her legs ) , her desire to please others , her " insatiable " appetite for culture .