/ ɪnˈfɜː(r); NAmE / verb ( -rr- )
1.
infer sth (from sth) to reach an opinion or decide that sth is true on the basis of information that is available
SYN deduce :
[ vn ]
Much of the meaning must be inferred from the context.
[ v that ]
It is reasonable to infer that the government knew about these deals.
2.
( non-standard ) to suggest indirectly that sth is true :
[ v ( that )]
Are you inferring (that) I'm not capable of doing the job?
[also vn ]
••
WHICH WORD
infer / imply
Infer and imply have opposite meanings. The two words can describe the same event, but from different points of view. If a speaker or writer implies something, they suggest it without saying it directly:
The article implied that the pilot was responsible for the accident.
If you infer something from what a speaker or writer says, you come to the conclusion that this is what he or she means:
I inferred from the article that the pilot was responsible for the accident.
Infer is now often used with the same meaning as imply . However, many people consider that a sentence such as
Are you inferring that I'm a liar?
is incorrect, although it is fairly common in speech.
••
WORD ORIGIN
late 15th cent. (in the sense bring about, inflict ): from Latin inferre bring in, bring about (in medieval Latin deduce), from in- into + ferre bring.