conjecture
1. con.jec.ture \k*n-'jek-ch*r\ n [ME, fr. MF or L; MF, fr. L conjectura,
fr. conjectus, pp. of co]nicere, lit., to throw together, fr. com- + jacere
to throw obs 1a: interpretation of omens 1b: SUPPOSITION 2a: inference
from defective or presumptive evidence 2b: a conclusion deduced by surmise
or guesswork
2. conjecture \-'jek-ch*-rin, -'jek-shrin\ \-'jek-ch*r-*r\ vb or
con.jec.tur.ing 1: to arrive at by conjecture 2: to make conjectures as to
: to form conjectures ce from slight evidence. CONJECTURE implies forming
an opinion or judgment upon evidence insufficient for definite knowledge;
SURMISE implies even slighter evidence and suggests the influence of
imagination or suspicion; GUESS stresses a hitting upon a conclusion either
wholly at random or from very uncertain evidence - con.jec.tur.er n SYN syn
CONJECTURE, SURMISE, GUESS mean to draw an inferen