n.
Pronunciation: di- ' d ə k-sh ə n, d ē -
Function: noun
Date: 15th century
1 a : an act of taking away < deduction of legitimate business expenses> b : something that is or may be subtracted < deduction s from his taxable income>
2 a : the deriving of a conclusion by reasoning specifically : inference in which the conclusion about particulars follows necessarily from general or universal premises ― compare INDUCTION b : a conclusion reached by logical deduction