surmise
UK: səˈmaɪz | US: sərˈmaɪz
v. to suppose or infer something without strong evidence
n. an assumption or guess based on limited information
The word "surmise" originates from Old French surmise (feminine past participle of surmettre, meaning "to accuse"), derived from Latin supermittō (super "over" + mittō "send"). The original sense was "to formally accuse," but by the 15th century, it evolved to mean "to infer tentatively." The morpheme sur- (over) suggests going beyond observable facts, while -mise (send) implies projecting an idea. This reflects the modern meaning of forming a conclusion without concrete proof.
She could only surmise his intentions from his vague email.
The detective’s theory was merely a surmise, lacking solid evidence.
Without data, their report relied heavily on surmise.
He surmised that the meeting would be postponed due to the storm.
Her surmise about the outcome proved surprisingly accurate.