guess
English
/ɡɛs/
verb
Definitions
- To reach a partly (or totally) unqualified conclusion.
- To solve by a correct conjecture; to conjecture rightly.
- (chiefly) to suppose (introducing a proposition of uncertain plausibility).
- (colloquial) To think, conclude, or decide (without a connotation of uncertainty). Usually in first person: "I guess".
- (obsolete) To hit upon or reproduce by memory.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English gessen derived from Old Danish getse derived from Old Norse *getsa derived from Proto-Germanic *gitisōną (guess), *getaną (get, acquire) derived from Proto-Indo-European *gʰed- (seize, take, grasp, hold), *gʰed- (seize, take, grasp, hold).
Origin
Proto-Indo-European
*gʰed-
Gloss
seize, take, grasp, hold
Concept
Semantic Field
Possession
Ontological Category
Action/Process
Emoji
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- emprise English
- foreguess English
- guessability English
- guessable English
- guessably English
- guesser English
- guessest English
- guesseth English
- guessing English
- guessingly English
- guessive English
- guesswork English
- misapprehend English
- misapprehension English
- misguess English
- outguess English
- reprehend English
- underguess English
- unguessability English
- unguessable English
- work English
- -ilis Latin
- apprehendere Latin
- apprehendo Latin
- apprehensionis, apprehensio Latin
- comprehendere Latin
- comprehendo Latin
- comprehensiō Latin
- hedera Latin
- praeda Latin
- praeda, praedam Latin
- prehendo Latin
- prehensio Latin
- prehensionis, prehensio Latin
- prehensiōnem Latin
- prendere Latin
- reprehensionis, reprehensio Latin
- gissen Dutch, Flemish
- gissing Dutch, Flemish
- giswerk Dutch, Flemish
- vergissen Dutch, Flemish
- гада́ть Russian
- гадалка Russian
- гадание Russian
- догадаться Russian
- жуть Russian
- загадать Russian
- отгадать Russian
- разгадать Russian
- угадать Russian
- χανδάνω Ancient Greek
- *gʰed- Proto-Indo-European
- *bigetaną Proto-Germanic
- *getaną Proto-Germanic
- *gitisōną Proto-Germanic
- gissa Swedish
- gissning Swedish
- gietan Old English
- foregessen Middle English
- gessen Middle English
- gessere Middle English
- gessyng Middle English
- *getsa Old Norse
- *gitsa Old Norse
- geta Old Norse
- reprise Old French
- gissen Middle Dutch
- entreprise Middle French
- repris Middle French
- *fragetan gmw-pro
- *gendis Proto-Celtic
- getse Old Danish