extrapolate

To infer by extending known information.

Verb

  1. To infer by extending known information.
    • With fresh material, taxonomic conclusions are leavened by recognition that the material examined reflects the site it occupied; a herbarium packet gives one only a small fraction of the data desirable for sound...
  2. To estimate the value of a variable outside a known range from values within that range by assuming that the estimated value follows logically from the known ones

Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰ Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰs Proto-Indo-European *-teros Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵʰsteros Proto-Italic *eksteros Latin exter Latin extrā English extra- English (inter)polate English extrapolate From extra- + (inter)polate.

Forms

extrapolates extrapolating extrapolated

Antonyms

interpolate

Related

expound

Derived

extrapolatable extrapolation extrapolative extrapolator extrapolatory misextrapolate misextrapolation nonextrapolated overextrapolate unextrapolated