deductive

/dɪˈdʌktɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈdʌktɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈdək-tiv dē-/ (ame, mw)

deductive — adjective

  • deductivepositive
  • more deductivecomparative
  • most deductivesuperlative

1. starting from facts already accepted as true and working out, step by step, what

1.形容詞C1
釋義

starting from facts already accepted as true and working out, step by step, what must follow for one specific case.

例句

Ritu used a deductive approach: if all the lab samples were sealed, then no contamination could have occurred overnight.

deductive + approach; classic if/then chain from a general rule to a specific case

Sherlock Holmes is famous for his deductive reasoning, moving from a few odd details to one inevitable conclusion.

collocation: deductive reasoning

同義詞
  • logical

    broader; covers any sound reasoning, not specifically rule-to-case

  • inferential

    neutral on direction; includes both deductive and inductive moves

  • a priori

    philosophical; emphasises reasoning prior to experience

反義詞
  • inductive

    moves the opposite direction — from many specific observations to a general rule

  • intuitive

    reaches a conclusion without explicit step-by-step reasoning

文法句型

deductive + noun (reasoning, argument, logic, method, approach)

be deductive

用法筆記

Frequently attributive with reasoning / argument / logic / method / approach / thinking. Distinguish from inductive (which generalises from many specific cases) — deductive moves the other direction, applying an already-accepted general rule to one case.

常見錯誤

❌After noticing many swans were white, the scientist made a deductive guess that all swans are white.
✅After noticing many swans were white, the scientist made an inductive guess that all swans are white.
💡moving from many examples to a general rule is inductive, not deductive.