#infer

Latin

īnferre “to bring in, carry into, introduce”

in- “into”

ferre “to carry, bear”

Originally literal (to bring something in), then figurative: “to bring a conclusion into the mind.”

Proto-Indo-European

bher- “to carry, bear, bring”

Semantic drift: physical carrying → introducing information → drawing a conclusion. Inference is something you carry forward from premises.

Related words from bher-

bear (to carry, endure)

bring

burden

birth

transfer (carry across)

confer (carry together → discuss)

offer (carry toward)

suffer (carry from below → endure)

prefer (carry before → favor)