Arvatuse

Arvatuse is a noun used to denote the act or state of guessing, estimating, or assuming something when certainty is not available. It describes a presumption or premise that guides reasoning or analysis but is not itself proven. In everyday language it corresponds to what English speakers would call guesswork, an assumption, or a hypothesis used for planning or discussion.

Linguistically, arvatuse is formed from the Estonian verb arvata, meaning to guess or think. It is primarily found in Estonian texts and is used in formal and semi-formal contexts to refer to an assumed basis for conclusions or models. When used in writing, arvatuse emphasizes the provisional character of the statement rather than its truth value.

In scholarly discourse, arvatuse may be contrasted with evidence-based conclusions. It can function as a starting point for a theoretical argument, a parameter in a model, or a premise that is tested by further data. The term is not tied to a specific field and can appear in philosophy, social sciences, mathematics, and journalism where uncertainty is acknowledged.

Arvatuse relates to several concepts, including assumption, hypothesis, conjecture, and estimate. Its use signals that further validation or data would be needed to convert arvatuse into a confirmed conclusion.

See also: assumption, hypothesis, conjecture, estimate, guesswork, premise.