infer
in-FURverbMeaning to figure out from clues or evidence
Memory hook in-FUR: she INFERS from the FUR. Lin spots brown fur all over the white sofa and figures it out: the dog has been napping there again. From the fur, she infers the truth.
From the muddy paw prints on the rug, Lin inferred that the dog had come inside.
In context The card did not say who had left the flowers, but Ada inferred that it was her neighbor: the roses matched the bush beside his front door.
Similar deduce, conclude, gather, reason
From Latin inferre, “to bring in”: in (in) + ferre (to carry). You bring in a conclusion from the clues.