conjecture

noun

/kənˈdʒektʃə(r)/

/kənˈdʒektʃər/

(formal)

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[countable] an opinion or idea that is not based on definite knowledge and is formed by guessing synonym guess
- The truth of his conjecture was confirmed by the newspaper report.
Topics Opinion and argumentc2, Doubt, guessing and certaintyc2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- pure
- just
- mere
- …
preposition
- conjecture about
- conjecture as to
phrases
- a matter for conjecture
- open to conjecture
See full entry
[uncountable] the act of forming an opinion or idea that is not based on definite knowledge
- What was going through the killer's mind is a matter for conjecture.
see also guessworkTopics Opinion and argumentc2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- pure
- just
- mere
- …
preposition
- conjecture about
- conjecture as to
phrases
- a matter for conjecture
- open to conjecture
See full entry

Word Originlate Middle English (in the senses ‘to divine’ and ‘divination’): from Old French, or from Latin conjectura, from conicere ‘put together in thought’, from con- ‘together’ + jacere ‘throw’.

conjecture

verb

/kənˈdʒektʃə(r)/

/kənˈdʒektʃər/

[intransitive, transitive] (formal)

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they conjecture	/kənˈdʒektʃə(r)/ /kənˈdʒektʃər/
he / she / it conjectures	/kənˈdʒektʃəz/ /kənˈdʒektʃərz/
past simple conjectured	/kənˈdʒektʃəd/ /kənˈdʒektʃərd/
past participle conjectured	/kənˈdʒektʃəd/ /kənˈdʒektʃərd/
-ing form conjecturing	/kənˈdʒektʃərɪŋ/ /kənˈdʒektʃərɪŋ/

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to form an opinion about something even though you do not have much information on it synonym guess
- conjecture (about something) We can only conjecture about what was in the killer's mind.
- conjecture what/how, etc… We can only conjecture what was in the killer’s mind
- conjecture that… He conjectured that the population might double in ten years.
- conjecture something She conjectured the existence of a completely new species.
- be conjectured to be/have/do something The remains are conjectured to be thousands of years old.
Topics Opinion and argumentc2
Word Originlate Middle English (in the senses ‘to divine’ and ‘divination’): from Old French, or from Latin conjectura, from conicere ‘put together in thought’, from con- ‘together’ + jacere ‘throw’.