implicature
nounUK /ˌɪmplɪˈkeɪtʃə/
US /ˌɪmplɪˈkeɪtʃər/
A meaning that a speaker suggests without actually saying it.
When she said 'Some students passed,' the implicature was that not all of them did.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. In linguistics, the extra meaning a listener works out from how something is said rather than from the words alone.
His answer 'It's cold in here' carried the implicature that someone should close the window.
3. An indirect hint that a person expects others to understand.
Her smile had an implicature of approval.
4. The act of conveying an idea indirectly through conversation.
Politicians often rely on implicature to avoid saying things directly.