conjecture

conjecture
\ \ [14] A conjecture is, etymologically speaking, simply something ‘thrown together’.
\ \ The word comes, perhaps via Old French, from Latin conjectūraconclusion, interpretation’, a noun derived from the past participle of conicerethrow together’. This was a compound verb formed from the prefix com- ‘together’ and jacerethrow’ (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.
\ \ Cf.JET, JETTISON, JETTY

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • conjecture — [ kɔ̃ʒɛktyr ] n. f. • 1246; lat. conjectura 1 ♦ Opinion fondée sur des probabilités ou des apparences. ⇒ hypothèse, supposition. Parler de qqch. par conjecture. Conjecture sur l avenir. ⇒ prévision, pronostic. 2 ♦ (Nuance péj.) Opinion fondée sur …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • conjecture — CONJECTURE. s. f. Jugement probable, opinion que l on fonde sur quelques apparences touchant quelque chose obscure & incertaine. Forte, foible, puissante conjecture. legere, vaine conjecture. conjecture trompeuse. conjecture bien fondée, mal… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • conjecture — CONJECTURE. subs. fém. Jugement probable, opinion que l on fonde sur quelques apparences touchant une chose obscure et incertaine. Forte conjecture. Puissante conjecture. Foible, légère, vaine conjecture. Conjecture trompeuse, bien fondée, mal… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • conjecture — vb Conjecture, surmise, guess are comparable as verbs, meaning to draw an inference from slight evi dence, and as nouns, denoting an inference based upon such evidence. Conjecture implies formation of an opinion or judgment upon what is… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • conjecture — Conjecture, Coniectura, Coniectatio. Faulse conjecture, Fallax coniectura. Entendre par conjecture, Coniectura consequi. Qu on scait par conjectures, Coniecturalis. Choses desquelles on peut faire quelque conjecture, Res positae in coniectura. On …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • conjecture — I noun assumption, belief, guess, guesswork, hypothesis, imputation, inference, opinion, postulate, postulation, presumption, presupposition, presurmise, speculation, supposal, supposition, surmise, suspicion, theory, thesis, unverified… …   Law dictionary

  • conjecture — [kən jek′chər] n. [ME < L conjectura, a putting together, guess, inference < conjectus, pp. of conjicere, to throw together, guess < com , together + jacere, to throw: see JET1] 1. an inferring, theorizing, or predicting from incomplete… …   English World dictionary

  • Conjecture — Con*jec ture, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Conjectured}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Conjecturing}.] [Cf. F. conjecturer. Cf. {Conject}.] To arrive at by conjecture; to infer on slight evidence; to surmise; to guess; to form, at random, opinions concerning. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Conjecture — Con*jec ture (; 135?), n. [L. conjectura, fr. conjicere, conjectum, to throw together, infer, conjecture; con + jacere to throw: cf. F. conjecturer. See {Jet} a shooting forth.] An opinion, or judgment, formed on defective or presumptive… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • conjecture — late 14c., interpretation of signs and omens, from O.Fr. conjecture surmise, guess, or directly from L. coniectura conclusion, interpretation, guess, inference, lit. a casting together (of facts, etc.), from coniectus, pp. of conicere to throw… …   Etymology dictionary

  • conjecture — [n] speculation, assumption conclusion, fancy, guess, guesstimate*, guesswork, hunch, hypothesis, inference, notion, opinion, perhaps, presumption, shot in the dark*, sneaking suspicion, stab in the dark*, supposition, surmise, theorizing,… …   New thesaurus

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