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Deduce

2 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means to reach a conclusion by reasoning

Where does the word "deduce" come from? It comes from Latin deducere, adopted directly into English (1400s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
deducere
Latin · ancient
"to lead down"
'de-' plus 'ducere', to lead
2
Stage 2 of 2
deduce
English · 1400s
"to lead"
Sherlock Holmes made 'deduction' famous
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Read the full story

Deduce’s story begins in Latin: deducere meant “to lead down.” 'de-' plus 'ducere', to lead. It reached English by 1400s as deduce. Sherlock Holmes made 'deduction' famous. Today, deduce means to reach a conclusion by reasoning.