We infer a reduction in numbers (5)
I believe the answer is:
fewer
'infer a reduction in numbers' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.
'we' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'we' is found in the answer.
This may be the basis of clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for fewer that I've seen before include "Not so many" , "smaller number of people" , "Less in number" , "Reduced" , "in smaller numbers" .)