Home > D Words > deduction

deduction

Definitions of Deduction

  1. (noun) A form of logical reasoning that derives a conclusion from a set of premises and the conclusion cannot be false if the premises are true.
  2. (noun) Moving from the general to the particular.

Deduction Pronunciation

Pronunciation Usage Guide

Syllabification: de·duc·tion

Audio Pronunciation

– American English
– British English

Phonetic Spelling

  • American English – /di-dUHk-shuhn/
  • British English – /di-dUHk-shuhn/

International Phonetic Alphabet

  • American English – /dɪˈdʌkʃən/
  • British English – /dɪˈdʌkʃən/

Usage Notes

  • Plural: deductions
  • Deduction begins with theory, moves to hypothesis, then to prediction, and finally to testing and observation.
  • Deduction is the traditional logic used in scientific research as outlined by the scientific method.
  • The hypothetico-deductive model refers to the process of deduction used as research method.
  • An argument derived through deduction is a deductive explanation and called a syllogism. For example,
    • All words have definitions. Deduction is a word. Therefore, deduction has a definition.
    • Rain is wet. It is raining outside. It is wet outside.
  • Deduction is the opposite of induction.
  • A type of reductionism.
  • Also called:
    • deductive logic
    • deductive reasoning
    • synthesis
  • A (noun) deductionist (verb) deduces (adjective) deductive or (adjective) deductional theories (adverb) deductionally.

Related Videos

Additional Information

Related Terms


Works Consulted

Brinkerhoff, David, Lynn White, Suzanne Ortega, and Rose Weitz. 2011. Essentials of Sociology. 8th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Bruce, Steve, and Steven Yearley. 2006. The SAGE Dictionary of Sociology. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Macmillan. (N.d.) Macmillan Dictionary. (https://www.macmillandictionary.com/).

Oxford University Press. (N.d.) Oxford Dictionaries. (https://www.oxforddictionaries.com/).

Stewart, Paul, and Johan Zaaiman, eds. 2015. Sociology: A Concise South African Introduction. Cape Town: Juta.

Wikipedia contributors. (N.d.) Wiktionary, The Free Dictionary. Wikimedia Foundation. (http://en.wiktionary.org).

Cite the Definition of Deduction

ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2014. “deduction.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved March 19, 2024 (https://sociologydictionary.org/deduction/).

APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)

deduction. (2014). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/deduction/

Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2014. “deduction.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed March 19, 2024. https://sociologydictionary.org/deduction/.

MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)

“deduction.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2014. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://sociologydictionary.org/deduction/>.