presupposition

American  

[pree-suhp-uh-zish-uhn] / ˌpri sʌp əˈzɪʃ ən /

noun

1. something that is assumed in advance or taken for granted.

   The conflict could have been avoided if the speakers had openly acknowledged the presuppositions that each of them brought to the discussion.

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Other Word Forms

• presuppositionless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of presupposition

First recorded in 1530–40; from Late Latin presupposition-, stem of presuppositio, equivalent to Latin praesupposit(us) (past participle of praesupponere ) + -iō -ion ( def. ); see presuppose ( def. )

Explanation

When you assume some fact at the very beginning of an argument, that's presupposition. If a book critic decides that a novel is intended for young adult readers before writing her review, she makes a presupposition. When you presuppose, you make an assumption about something from the start, and presupposition is the action of presupposing. Your presupposition about how terrible a movie is going to be might color your actual experience of watching it, for example. The noun presupposition comes straight from the Medieval Latin praesuppositionem, which combines prae-, "before," and suppositio, "suppose."

Example Sentences

I believe the contrary: most leopard-human conflict originates with the presupposition of conflict.

From Scientific American • Apr. 22, 2023

This is a presupposition, but it isn’t a crazy one.

From New York Times • Jul. 8, 2022

“It indicates a presupposition or premise that somehow Solomon Islands’ foreign policy is Australia’s responsibility.”

From Washington Post • May 26, 2022

Ament said a lot of her students have come in with the presupposition that “there was an absolutely right way to do things.”

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 23, 2021

The ideal and therefore the historical origin of the school itself is intimately connected with the realistic presupposition.

From The Reform of Education by Gentile, Giovanni