postulate

American  

[pos-chuh-leyt, pos-chuh-lit, -leyt] / ˈpɒs tʃəˌleɪt, ˈpɒs tʃə lɪt, -ˌleɪt /

verb (used with object)

postulated, postulating

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.

   Synonyms:

   conjecture, presuppose, hypothecate

4. Mathematics, Logic. to assume as a postulate.

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noun

1. something taken as self-evident or assumed without proof as a basis for reasoning.

   Synonyms:

   conjecture, assumption, axiom, theory, hypothesis

2. 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.

3. a fundamental principle.

4. a necessary condition; prerequisite.

postulate British  

verb

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

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noun

1. something taken as self-evident or assumed as the basis of an argument

2. a necessary condition or prerequisite

3. a fundamental principle

4. 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

postulate Scientific  

/ pŏs′chə-lĭt /

1. See axiom

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postulate Cultural  

1. A statement accepted as true for the purposes of argument or scientific investigation; also, a basic principle. (See axiom.)

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Other Word Forms

• postulation
  noun
• postulational
  adjective
• repostulate
  noun
• repostulate
  verb (used with object)
• repostulation
  noun
• unpostulated
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of postulate

1525–35; < Latin postulātum petition, thing requested, noun use of neuter of past participle of postulāre to request, demand, akin to pōscere to request

Explanation

Assume something or present it as a fact and you postulate it. Physicists postulate the existence of parallel universes, which is a little mind-blowing. Anyone who has suffered through geometry class is familiar with some of the greatest hits, like Euclid's postulate and the point-line-plane postulate. Those are propositions that have to be assumed for other mathematical statements to follow logically. As a verb (pronounced "POST-you-late") it describes the act of presenting an idea, theory, belief, or concept.

Example Sentences

Stiegelmeier reminds us that there is no mercy rule in college and there never will be, but after their win over Pine Bluff he implemented what he calls the Pine Bluff Postulate.

From Washington Times • Nov. 11, 2019

Postulate was stuck on the rail in his last race, but was scratched by the veterinarian before his last scheduled start May 5.

From Seattle Times • May 13, 2012

Postulate a neurotic, hopeless main character, then spend 200 pages proving that the character is hopeless and neurotic.

From Time Magazine Archive

Postulate a more forthcoming parent, and the novel would be 200 pages shorter.

From Time Magazine Archive

This assumption is known as the Axiom or Postulate of Archimedes, though, as he states, it was assumed before his time by those who used the method of exhaustion.

From Archimedes Men of Science by Heath, Thomas Little

Related Words

• hypothesize
• posit
• presuppose
• theorize