conjecture

Where does the word "conjecture" come from? It comes from Latin conicere, passing through Latin before entering English (1300s).

Conjecture’s story begins in Latin: conicere meant “to throw together, to guess.” To throw together, to guess, from com- (together) and iacere (to throw), with irregular past participle conjectus. Within Latin, it grew into conjectura by ancient. A guess, an inference, from conicere. It reached English by 1300s as conjecture. Settled as the English word for an opinion formed without sufficient evidence. Today, conjecture means an opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient conicere "to throw together, to guess", to throw together, to guess, from com- (together) and iacere (to throw), with irregular past participle conjectus.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient conjectura "a guess, an inference", a guess, an inference, from conicere.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s conjecture "an opinion or guess formed without sufficient evidence", settled as the English word for an opinion formed without sufficient evidence.