inferre

Inferre is a Latin verb meaning to bring into or onto a place, to carry in, to introduce, to bring upon, or to inflict. It is a compound of ferre (to bear or carry) with the prefix in-, giving a range of senses from literal movement into something to more figurative imposition or causation. In classical usage, inferre can refer to bringing a person or thing into a location, introducing a law or measure, inflicting harm, or bringing a matter to bear on someone.

Principal parts and conjugation: The principal parts are infero, inferre, intuli, illatum. As a prefixed ferre- verb, inferre follows the broader ferre family patterns for tense formation, with the passive form inferri. The exact endings vary by tense and voice, but the verb retains the core in- prefix and the characteristic ferre- verb morphology.

Usage notes: Inferre is transitive and takes a direct object in contexts where something is being brought in or caused. It can be used both literally and metaphorically, for example to bring a law into effect or to inflict damage. In rhetorical or legal Latin, it can also mean to advance or introduce an argument or charge by presenting evidence or reasons.

Etymology and related forms: From in- + ferre. Related forms include inferri (to be brought in), illatus (supine participle used with forms of illatum), and illatum (supine). It is one of several Latin compound verbs built on ferre that encode directional or causal nuances.