Word of the Week

From Merriam-Webster:

surmise

noun
sur·​mise | \ sər-ˈmīz, ˈsər-ˌmīz \
: a thought or idea based on scanty evidence : conjecture

surmise

verb
sur·​mise | \ sər-ˈmīz\
surmised; surmising
transitive verb : to form a notion of from scanty evidence : imagine, infer

First Known Use of surmise

Noun: 1569, in the meaning defined above
Verb: 1647, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for surmise

Noun
Middle English, allegation, charge, from Anglo-French, from feminine of surmis, past participle of surmettre to place on, suppose, accuse, from Medieval Latin supermittere, from Late Latin, to place on, from Latin super- + mittere to let go, send

Verb
Middle English, to allege, from surmise, noun

From www.merriam-webster.com

The answer to last week’s question: What relative of Latin mittere begins with “s” and refers to a thought or idea based on scanty evidence?