ratiocinate

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US/ˌɹætiˈosəˌneɪt/US/ˌɹæʃiˈɑsəˌneɪt/

verb

To use the powers of the mind logically and methodically; to reason.

OriginLatin ratiōcinor →
Scrabble 13
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Meanings

verbratiocinate (third-person singular simple present ratiocinates, present participle ratiocinating, simple past and past participle ratiocinated)

present singular third person ratiocinates · participle present ratiocinating · participle past ratiocinated · past ratiocinated

  1. formalintransitivetransitiveTo use the powers of the mind logically and methodically; to reason.
    1 more example

    "Observe the relative position," returned the Doctor with a smile. "It is your attitude to believe through thick and thin in one man's judgment—your own. I follow the same opinion, but critically and with open eyes. Which is the more irrational—I leave it to yourself." "Oh, my dear fellow!" cried Casimir, "[…] don't ratiocinate with me."

    1887, Robert Louis Stevenson, chapter 6, in The Treasure of Franchard

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
reason

Origin

  1. Latinratiōcinor“to reckon, argue”
  2. Englishratiocinate

From Latin ratiōcinor (“to reckon, argue”) + -ate, from ratiō + -cinor. First use appears c.1643 in the writings of Kenelm Digby.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

ratiocinate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ratiocinate

MLA

“ratiocinate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ratiocinate. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ratiocinate,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ratiocinate.

Source: ratiocinate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.