To provide a purpose estimation apparatus for appropriately estimating a function desired by a user from among a plurality of functions of a device to be operated.

The purpose estimation apparatus includes: a choice input part 102 for obtaining choices selected by the user; a function expression storage part 111 for storing a plurality of partial elements included in the character string of the name of each function of the device; a sub-goal estimating part 110 for setting, out of the plurality of partial elements of each function, a plurality of different sub-goal candidates composed of one or a plurality of partial elements, then calculating similarities between the choices obtained at the choice input part 102 and the plurality of sub-goal candidates, and specifying the sub-goal candidate that corresponds to the highest similarity as a sub-goal; and a purpose estimating part 113 for estimating one of the plurality of functions of the device, which has the higher similarity of the sub-goal as the function desired by the user.