Origin: Latin suffix -ence
Inference has 2 different meanings across 1 category:
the reasoning involved in drawing a conclusion or making a logical judgment on the basis of circumstantial evidence and prior conclusions rather than on the basis of direct observation
"Based on the missing tire tracks, the detective made an inference that the suspect had fled by car."
The act or process of inferring by deduction or induction.
"The detective's inference that the suspect fled through the back window was based on fresh footprints found near the alley entrance."
In plain English: Inference is when you figure something out by using clues and what you already know instead of being told directly.
"The detective made an inference that the thief had escaped through the back window based on the muddy footprints outside."
Usage: Use inference to describe drawing a conclusion from evidence rather than stating it directly, distinguishing it from the direct observation implied in an assertion. Avoid confusing this noun with "infer," which is its corresponding verb form used when you actively deduce something based on available clues.
The word inference comes from the Latin inferre, meaning to bring or carry under. It entered English as a noun describing the act of drawing a conclusion based on evidence and reasoning.