verb (used with object), sur·mised, sur·mis·ing.
- to think or infer without certain or strong evidence; conjecture; guess.
verb (used without object), sur·mised, sur·mis·ing.
- to conjecture or guess.
noun
- a matter of conjecture.
- an idea or thought of something as being possible or likely.
- a conjecture or opinion.
verb (sɜːˈmaɪz)
- (when tr, may take a clause as object) to infer (something) from incomplete or uncertain evidence
noun (sɜːˈmaɪz, ˈsɜːmaɪz)
- an idea inferred from inconclusive evidence
v.c.1400, “to charge, allege,” from Old French surmis, past participle of surmettre “to accuse,” from sur- “upon” (see sur-) + mettre “put,” from Latin mittere “to send” (see mission). Meaning “to infer conjecturally” is recorded from 1700. Related: Surmised; surmising. n.early 15c., legal, “a charge, a formal accusation;” see surmise (v.). Meaning “inference, guess” is first found in English 1580s.