inferentia

Forms

inferentia f (genitive inferentiae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin īnferō (“to bring in; to conclude”),^[1][2] formed on its present participle īnferēns.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first dated instance is in a letter of John of Salisbury of 1166, where it means logical inference.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It is a medieval word, above all of logic, for the drawing of a conclusion and the conclusion drawn.^[4][1] The MLW also records it for the bringing about or causing of something and for an intervention, an “interference”.^[1] English took it over as inference in the 1590s.^[3]

Timeline

• 1166 – John of Salisbury uses it of logical inference in a letter.^[4]
• 1590s – English borrows it as inference, “action of inferring”.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Medieval Latin, logic) Inference, conclusion.^[4][1]
2. (Medieval Latin) The bringing about or causing of something.^[1]
3. (Medieval Latin) An intervention, interference.^[1]

Related words

• English inference

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
2. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press