noun / verb
guess
GESS/ɡes/
An answer or opinion formed without certainty, or to form one.
She hesitates, then makes a guess and chooses one of three boxes.
Etymology
Middle English gessen covered inferring from observation, judging, and estimating. The selected modern sense focuses on reaching a judgment when the available information is incomplete.
In context
a friend of mine who is very straight but dressed way butcher than I ever did, we used to play, uh, guess the lesbian at parties and, uh, everyone would lose because they'd always guess her.
More examples
- Can you guess how old this tree is?
- My best guess is that the bus arrives at noon.
- I guess we should bring an umbrella.
Forms
guess · guesses · guessed · guessing
guesswork noun — Forming judgments without enough information to be certain.
Similar words
- estimate
- Uses available information to suggest an approximate amount or value.
- suppose
- Presents something as likely or true without being certain.
- conjecture
- Suggests an explanation based on incomplete evidence, often more formally.