proposition

[prop-uh-zish-uh n]

noun

the act of offering or suggesting something to be considered, accepted, adopted, or done.

a plan or scheme proposed.

an offer of terms for a transaction, as in business.

a thing, matter, or person considered as something to be dealt with or encountered: Keeping diplomatic channels open is a serious proposition.

anything stated or affirmed for discussion or illustration.

Rhetoric. a statement of the subject of an argument or a discourse, or of the course of action or essential idea to be advocated.

Logic. a statement in which something is affirmed or denied, so that it can therefore be significantly characterized as either true or false.

Mathematics. a formal statement of either a truth to be demonstrated or an operation to be performed; a theorem or a problem.

a proposal of usually illicit sexual relations.

verb (used with object)

to propose sexual relations to.

to propose a plan, deal, etc., to.

Origin of proposition

1300–50; Middle English proposicio(u)n < Latin prōpositiōn- (stem of prōpositiō) a setting forth. See propositus, -ion

Related formsprop·o·si·tion·al, adjectiveprop·o·si·tion·al·ly, adverbun·der·prop·o·si·tion, noun

Can be confusedpreposition proposition (see usage note at preposition¹)

Synonyms for proposition

2. See proposal.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for propositional

Historical Examples of propositional

(β) A propositional function is necessary when all its values are true.
Mysticism and Logic and Other Essays
Bertrand Russell
That is the subject-matter of the propositional part of a classic tragedy.
Richard Wagner His Life and His Dramas
W. J. Henderson
In theology truth is propositional—tied up in neat parcels, systematized, and arranged in logical order.
Natural Law in the Spiritual World
Henry Drummond
The “Doctrine” is not usually an abstract theological dogma: it is simply the theme of the discourse stated in propositional form.
Selected Sermons of Jonathan Edwards
Jonathan Edwards
Call it a propositional function; and, if φx be a propositional function, the undetermined variable x is the argument.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 17, Slice 7
Various

British Dictionary definitions for propositional

proposition

noun

a proposal or topic presented for consideration

philosophy

the content of a sentence that affirms or denies something and is capable of being true or false
the meaning of such a sentence: I am warm always expresses the same proposition whoever the speaker isCompare statement (def. 8)

maths a statement or theorem, usually containing its proof

informal a person or matter to be dealt withhe's a difficult proposition

an invitation to engage in sexual intercourse

verb

(tr) to propose a plan, deal, etc, to, esp to engage in sexual intercourse

Derived Formspropositional, adjectivepropositionally, adverb

Word Origin for proposition

C14 proposicioun, from Latin prōpositiō a setting forth; see propose

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for propositional

proposition

mid-14c., "a setting forth as a topic for discussion," from Old French proposicion "proposal, submission, (philosophical) proposition" (12c.), from Latin propositionem (nominative propositio) "a setting forth, statement, a presentation, representation; fundamental assumption," noun of action from past participle stem of proponere (see propound). Meaning "action of proposing something to be done" is from late 14c. General sense of "matter, problem, undertaking" recorded by 1877. Related: Propositional.

proposition

1914, from proposition (n.); specifically of sexual favors from 1936. Related: Propositioned; propositioning.