conjecture

Definition

A statement or an idea which is unproven, but is thought to be true; a guess.

Etymology

From Old French, from Latin coniectūra (“a guess”), from coniectus, perfect passive participle of cōniciō (“throw or cast together; guess”), from con- (“together”) + iaciō (“throw, hurl”); see jet. Compare adjective, eject, inject, project, reject, subject, object, trajectory, deject, abject, surjection, bijection, interject. Compare typologically Russian прики́дывать (prikídyvatʹ) (akin to кида́ть (kidátʹ)).

Example Sentences

• "I explained it, but it is pure conjecture whether he understood, or not."
• "The physicist used his conjecture about subatomic particles to design an experiment."