postulate
Use Postulate in a sentence
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tʃəˌleɪt; verb (used with object)
1.
to ask, demand, or claim.
2.
to claim or assume the existence or truth of, especially as a basis for reasoning or arguing.
3.
to assume without proof, or as self-evident; take for granted.
4.
Mathematics, Logic. to assume as a postulate.
noun
5.
something taken as self-evident or assumed without proof as a basis for reasoning.
6.
Mathematics, Logic. a proposition that requires no proof, being self-evident, or that is for a specific purpose assumed true, and that is used in the proof of other propositions; axiom.
7.
a fundamental principle.
8.
a necessary condition; prerequisite.
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Postulate
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is kibitz. Does it mean:
| chat, to converse |
| to swindle, cheat, hoodwink, or hoax. |
Origin:
1525–35; < Latin postulātum petition, thing requested, noun use of neuter of past participle of postulāre to request, demand, akin to pōscere to request
1525–35; < Latin postulātum petition, thing requested, noun use of neuter of past participle of postulāre to request, demand, akin to pōscere to request
Related forms
pos·tu·la·tion, noun
pos·tu·la·tion·al, adjective
re·pos·tu·late, verb (used with object), re·pos·tu·lat·ed, re·pos·tu·lat·ing.
re·pos·tu·late, noun
re·pos·tu·la·tion, noun
Synonyms
3. hypothecate, presuppose, conjecture. 5. hypothesis, theory; axiom; assumption, conjecture.
3. hypothecate, presuppose, conjecture. 5. hypothesis, theory; axiom; assumption, conjecture.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
| postulate | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to assume to be true or existent; take for granted |
| 2. | to ask, demand, or claim |
| 3. | to nominate (a person) to a post or office subject to approval by a higher authority |
| —n | |
| 4. | something taken as self-evident or assumed as the basis of an argument |
| 5. | a necessary condition or prerequisite |
| 6. | a fundamental principle |
| 7. | logic, maths an unproved and indemonstrable statement that should be taken for granted: used as an initial premise or underlying hypothesis in a process of reasoning |
| [C16: from Latin postulāre to ask for, require; related to pōscere to request] | |
| postu'lation | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
postulate
1433 (implied in postulation), "nominate to a church office," from M.L. postulatus, pp. of postulare "to ask, demand," probably formed from pp. of L. poscere "ask urgently, demand," from *posk-to-, Italic inchoative of PIE base *prek- "to ask questions" (cf. Skt. prcchati, Avestan peresaiti "interrogates,"
O.H.G. forskon, Ger. forschen "to search, inquire"). Use in logic dates from 1646, borrowed from M.L. The noun is first recorded 1588.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
postulate pos·tu·late (pŏs'chə-lāt')
v. pos·tu·lat·ed, pos·tu·lat·ing, pos·tu·lates
To assume or assert the truth or necessity of, especially as a basis of an argument. n.
An unproved assertion or assumption, especially a statement offered as the basis of a theory.
pos'tu·la'tion n.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
| postulate (pŏs'chə-lĭt) Pronunciation Key
See axiom. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
postulate definition
A statement accepted as true for the purposes of argument or scientific investigation; also, a basic principle. (See axiom.)
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
They led many astronomers to postulate that they weren't as distant as the general consensus had them to be.
The heroes and rulers of that ancient continent, they postulate, inspired classical Greek mythology.
Used and accurately applied their mental model of the world to postulate a physical explanation for findings.
That is, it is easy to postulate the supremacy of mankind's survival as a value.
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