conjecture

n 1: a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or

conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence);

"speculations about the outcome of the election"; "he

dismissed it as mere conjecture" [syn: {speculation}]

2: a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence

[syn: {guess}, {supposition}, {surmise}, {speculation}, {hypothesis}]

3: reasoning that involves the formation of conclusions from

incomplete evidence

v : to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds:

"Scientists supposed that large dinosaurs lived in

swamps." [syn: {speculate}, {theorize}, {theorise}, {hypothesize},

{hypothecate}, {suppose}]