What part of speech is inference?

"Inference" can function as several parts of speech, depending on how it's used in a sentence:

* Noun: When "inference" refers to the act of drawing a conclusion, it is a noun.

* Example: "The detective made an inference based on the evidence."

* Verb: When "inference" refers to the process of drawing a conclusion, it is a verb.

* Example: "We can infer from the data that the company is growing."

The most common usage is as a noun.