Meanings
present singular third person guesses · participle present guessing · participle past guessed · past guessed · first person past singular guessed · archaic present second person singular guessest · past second person singular guessed · archaic past second person singular guessedst · present singular third person guesses · archaic present singular third person guesseth · past singular third person guessed · past plural guessed · past subjunctive guessed · participle present guessing · participle past guessed
- To reach a partly (or totally) unconfirmed conclusion; to engage in conjecture; to speculate.
We can only guess at what was going through her mind.
1 more example
She guessed that the delivery driver must have got stuck in traffic.
- To solve by a correct conjecture; to conjecture rightly.
You guessed the right answer!
2 more examples
He who guesses the riddle shall have the ring.
You will never guess what happened next.
- To suppose, to imagine (introducing a proposition of uncertain plausibility).
That album is quite hard to find, but I guess you could try ordering it online.
3 more examples
Not all together; better far, I guess, / That we do make our entrance several ways.
c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]But in known images of life I guess / The labour greater.
1733–1737, Alexander Pope, [Imitations of Horace], London: […] R[obert] Dodsley [et al.]"Are you a member of the union?" "Sure." "Then you'll get your job, I guess. Have you any friends?"
1914–1915, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Valley of Fear - colloquialTo think, conclude, or decide (without a connotation of uncertainty). Usually in first person: "I guess".
"I guess I'll go to bed."
1 more example
"I guess you were right." "What did he say?" "He guesses you were right."
- obsoleteTo hit upon or reproduce by memory.
Tell me their words, as near as thou canst guess them.
c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]
plural guesses
- A prediction about the outcome of something, typically made without factual evidence or support.
If you don't know the answer, take a guess.
2 more examples
"But I shall have eleven guesses," answered Ozma. "Surely I ought to guess one object in eleven correctly; and, if I do, I shall rescue one of the royal family and be safe myself. Then the rest of you may attempt it, and soon we shall free all those who are enslaved."
1907, L. Frank Baum, Ozma of OzWe are twelve billion light years from the edge / That's a guess
2005, Mike Batt, “Nine Million Bicycles”, performed by Katie MeluaSynonyms: estimate, hypothesis, prediction
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA prediction about the outcome of something, typically made without factual evidence or support.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence
nounan estimate based on little or no information
verbput forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation
verbjudge tentatively or form an estimate of (quantities or time)
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*gʰed-“to take, seize”
- Proto-Germanic*getaną“to get”
- Proto-Germanic*gitisōną“to guess”
- Old Norse*getsa
- Old Danishgetse
- Middle Englishgesse
- Middle Englishgessen
- Englishguess
From Middle English gessen (verb) and Middle English gesse (noun), probably of North Germanic origin, from Old Danish getse, gitse, getsa (“to guess”), from Old Norse *getsa, *gitsa, from Proto-Germanic *gitisōną (“to guess”), from Proto-Germanic *getaną (“to get”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰed- (“to take, seize”). Cognate with Danish gisne (“to guess”), Norwegian gissa, gjette (“to guess”), Swedish gissa (“to guess”), Saterland Frisian gisje (“to guess”), Dutch gissen (“to guess”), Low German gissen (“to guess”), Dutch gis (“a guess”). Related also to Icelandic giska ("to guess"; from Proto-Germanic *gitiskōną). Compare also Russian гада́ть (gadátʹ, “to conjecture, guess, divine”), Albanian gjëzë (“riddle”) from gjej (“find, recover, obtain”). More at get.
More words from Middle English, Old Danish, Old Norse
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek τοπάζω, ὑπονοέω
- τοπάζω (topázō)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- ὑπονοέω (huponoéō)to suppose, to imagine
Arabic خَمَّنَ, حزر
- خَمَّنَ (ḵammana)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- حزر (ḥazara)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
Bulgarian гада́я, отга́твам
- гада́я (gadája)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- отга́твам (otgátvam)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- досе́щам се (doséštam se)to solve by a correct conjecture
- отга́твам (otgátvam)to solve by a correct conjecture
- предпола́гам (predpolágam)to suppose, to imagine
- гадая (gadaja)to think, conclude, or decide without a connotation of uncertainty
- дога́дка (dogádka)prediction about the outcome of something
- предположе́ние (predpoložénie)prediction about the outcome of something
Catalan endevinar, obtenir
- endevinarto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- obtenirto solve by a correct conjecture
- suposarto suppose, to imagine
- conjecturaprediction about the outcome of something
Chinese Mandarin 猜測 /猜测, 猜
- 猜測 /猜测 (cāicè)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- 猜 (cāi)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- 推測 /推测 (tuīcè)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- 猜測 /猜测 (cāicè)prediction about the outcome of something
Czech hádat, uhádnout
- hádatto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- uhádnoutto solve by a correct conjecture
- předpokládatto suppose, to imagine
- odhadprediction about the outcome of something
Danish gætte, gisne
- gætteto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- gisneto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- gætprediction about the outcome of something
Dutch veronderstellen, gissen
- veronderstellento reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- gissento reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- radento solve by a correct conjecture
- gokprediction about the outcome of something
- gissingprediction about the outcome of something
- veronderstellingprediction about the outcome of something
- radenprediction about the outcome of something
- gisprediction about the outcome of something
Esperanto diveni, supozi
- divenito reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- supozito solve by a correct conjecture
Finnish arvata, veikata
- arvatato reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- veikatato reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- ratkaistato solve by a correct conjecture
- luullato suppose, to imagine
- luullato think, conclude, or decide without a connotation of uncertainty
- muistaa(obsolete in English) to hit upon or reproduce by memory
- arvausprediction about the outcome of something
- veikkausprediction about the outcome of something
French deviner, déduire
- devinerto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- déduireto solve by a correct conjecture
- supposerto suppose, to imagine
- imaginerto suppose, to imagine
- conjectureprediction about the outcome of something
German schätzen, raten
- schätzento reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- ratento reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- erratento solve by a correct conjecture
- denkento suppose, to imagine
- glaubento suppose, to imagine
- vermutento suppose, to imagine
- denkento think, conclude, or decide without a connotation of uncertainty
- glaubento think, conclude, or decide without a connotation of uncertainty
- sich ins Gedächtnis zurückrufen(obsolete in English) to hit upon or reproduce by memory
- erinnern(obsolete in English) to hit upon or reproduce by memory
- vergegenwärtigen(obsolete in English) to hit upon or reproduce by memory
- rekapitulieren(obsolete in English) to hit upon or reproduce by memory
- Vermutungprediction about the outcome of something
Greek υποθέτω, εικάζω
- υποθέτω (ypothéto)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- εικάζω (eikázo)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- μαντεύω (mantévo)to solve by a correct conjecture
- υποθέτω (ypothéto)to suppose, to imagine
- μάλλον (mállon)to suppose, to imagine
- εικασία (eikasía)prediction about the outcome of something
Hebrew נִיחֵשׁ
- נִיחֵשׁ (nikhésh)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
Hindi अनुमान, अटकल
- अनुमान (anumān)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- अटकल (aṭkal)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- अनुमान (anumān)to solve by a correct conjecture
- अनुमान (anumān)to suppose, to imagine
- अनुमान (anumān)prediction about the outcome of something
- अटकल (aṭkal)prediction about the outcome of something
Hungarian találgat, tippel
- találgatto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- tippelto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- saccolto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- kitalálto solve by a correct conjecture
- eltalálto solve by a correct conjecture
- gondolto suppose, to imagine
- sejtto suppose, to imagine
- felteszto suppose, to imagine
- vélto suppose, to imagine
- (azt) hisz (i)to think, conclude, or decide without a connotation of uncertainty
- asszemto think, conclude, or decide without a connotation of uncertainty
Icelandic geta, giska
- getato reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- giskato reach an unconfirmed conclusion
Indonesian kira, mengira
- kirato reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- mengirato reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- pikirto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- berpikirto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- menebakto solve by a correct conjecture
- mengirato suppose, to imagine
- menyangkato suppose, to imagine
- tebakanprediction about the outcome of something
Irish tomhais, tomhais
- tomhaisto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- tomhaisto solve by a correct conjecture
- amasprediction about the outcome of something
- amhrasprediction about the outcome of something
- barúilprediction about the outcome of something
- tomhasprediction about the outcome of something
- buille faoi thuairimprediction about the outcome of something
Italian indovinare, azzeccare
- indovinareto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- azzeccareto solve by a correct conjecture
- supporreto suppose, to imagine
- presumereto suppose, to imagine
- congetturaprediction about the outcome of something
Japanese 推測する, 察する
- 推測する (suisoku suru)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- 察する (sassuru)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- 憶測する (okusoku suru)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- 当てる (ateru)to solve by a correct conjecture
- 言い当てる (iiateru)to solve by a correct conjecture
- 推測 (suisoku)prediction about the outcome of something
Korean 추측하다, 추측
- 추측하다 (chucheukhada)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- 추측 (chucheuk)prediction about the outcome of something
Latin dīvīnō, facio
- dīvīnōto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- facioto suppose, to imagine
- sumoto suppose, to imagine
- fingoto suppose, to imagine
- coniectūraprediction about the outcome of something
Lithuanian spė́ti, atspė́ti
- spė́tito reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- atspė́tito solve by a correct conjecture
- manýtito think, conclude, or decide without a connotation of uncertainty
- spėjimasprediction about the outcome of something
Malay agak, anggar
- agakto solve by a correct conjecture
- anggarto solve by a correct conjecture
Norwegian gjetning
- gjetningprediction about the outcome of something
Norwegian Bokmål gjette, gjette
- gjetteto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- gjetteto solve by a correct conjecture
- antato suppose, to imagine
- formodeto suppose, to imagine
Persian حدسیدن, گمانیدن
- حدسیدنto suppose, to imagine
- گمانیدنto think, conclude, or decide without a connotation of uncertainty
- حدس (hads)prediction about the outcome of something
Polish zgadywać, zgadnąć
- zgadywaćto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- zgadnąćto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- odgadywaćto solve by a correct conjecture
- odgadnąćto solve by a correct conjecture
- przypuszczaćto suppose, to imagine
- domniemywaćto suppose, to imagine
- mniemaćto suppose, to imagine
- zgadnięcieprediction about the outcome of something
Portuguese adivinhar, adivinhar
- adivinharto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- adivinharto solve by a correct conjecture
- deduzirto solve by a correct conjecture
- acharto suppose, to imagine
- suporto suppose, to imagine
- suposiçãoprediction about the outcome of something
- conjecturaprediction about the outcome of something
Romanian bănui, ghici
- bănuito reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- ghicito reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- bănuito suppose, to imagine
- presupuneto suppose, to imagine
Russian гада́ть, погада́ть
- гада́ть (gadátʹ)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- погада́ть (pogadátʹ)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- уга́дывать (ugádyvatʹ)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- угада́ть (ugadátʹ)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- отга́дывать (otgádyvatʹ)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- отгада́ть (otgadátʹ)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- дога́дываться (dogádyvatʹsja)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- догада́ться (dogadátʹsja)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- уга́дывать (ugádyvatʹ)to solve by a correct conjecture
- угада́ть (ugadátʹ)to solve by a correct conjecture
- отга́дывать (otgádyvatʹ)to solve by a correct conjecture
- отгада́ть (otgadátʹ)to solve by a correct conjecture
- дога́дка (dogádka)prediction about the outcome of something
Scottish Gaelic tomhais, tomhais
- tomhaisto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- tomhaisto solve by a correct conjecture
- tomhasprediction about the outcome of something
- tuairmseprediction about the outcome of something
- barailprediction about the outcome of something
Slovak hádať
- hádaťto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
Spanish barruntar, cábala
- barruntarto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- cábalaprediction about the outcome of something
- adivinaciónprediction about the outcome of something
- adivinamientoprediction about the outcome of something
Swedish gissa, gissa
- gissato reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- gissato solve by a correct conjecture
- förmodato suppose, to imagine
- troto suppose, to imagine
- gissningprediction about the outcome of something
Tagalog manghula, nahulaan
- manghulato reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- nahulaanto solve by a correct conjecture
- siguroto suppose, to imagine
Thai เดา, เดา
- เดา (dao)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- เดา (dao)to suppose, to imagine
Turkish tahmin etmek, tahmin
- tahmin etmekto suppose, to imagine
- tahminprediction about the outcome of something
Ukrainian припуска́ти, припусти́ти
- припуска́ти (prypuskáty)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- припусти́ти (prypustýty)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- здога́дуватися (zdoháduvatysja)to solve by a correct conjecture
- здогада́тися (zdohadátysja)to solve by a correct conjecture
- уга́дувати (uháduvaty)to solve by a correct conjecture
- угада́ти (uhadáty)to solve by a correct conjecture
- вга́дувати (vháduvaty)to solve by a correct conjecture
- вгада́ти (vhadáty)to solve by a correct conjecture
- відга́дувати (vidháduvaty)to solve by a correct conjecture
- відгада́ти (vidhadáty)to solve by a correct conjecture
- припуска́ти (prypuskáty)to suppose, to imagine
- здо́гадка (zdóhadka)prediction about the outcome of something
- здога́дка (zdohádka)prediction about the outcome of something
- здо́гад (zdóhad)prediction about the outcome of something
- до́гад (dóhad)prediction about the outcome of something
- до́гадка (dóhadka)prediction about the outcome of something
- дога́дка (dohádka)prediction about the outcome of something
Vietnamese đoán, phỏng đoán
- đoánto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- phỏng đoánto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
- đoán rato solve by a correct conjecture
- nghĩ rato solve by a correct conjecture
- chắc rằngto suppose, to imagine
- nghĩto suppose, to imagine
- sự đoánprediction about the outcome of something
Welsh dyfalu
- dyfaluto reach an unconfirmed conclusion
Yiddish טרעפֿן
- טרעפֿן (trefn)to reach an unconfirmed conclusion
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with guess
Cite this entry
guess. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/guess
“guess.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/guess. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “guess,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/guess.
Source: guess on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.