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Definition of postulate
postulated
;postulating
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postulate was our Word of the Day on 03/06/2017. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of postulate in a Sentence
Scientists have postulated the existence of water on the planet.
postulates that all people are born with certain rights that can never be taken away from them
Recent Examples of postulate from the Web
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My friend and colleague Mike Sielski wrote a column that postulated the rookie voting was perhaps part of an agenda bent on punishing the Sixers for their nasty Process.
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There will be all kinds of reasons postulated for this terrible state of affairs.
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Star-Telegram columnist Gil Lebreton postulates that the reason LSU is barring Allen from transferring to TCU is related to another recruit.
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As early as 300 B.C., Epicurus postulated that there must be many worlds like ours among the stars.
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Mr. Green has long postulated that the future of transportation will be less focused on private car ownership.
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Researchers postulate that given the way the octopus is letting the tentacles drag behind it, the animal may be wielding the stinging cells for defense or to catch more prey.
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Neuroscientists and memory experts have postulated that there could be ways to erase specific memories.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'postulate'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
In 1703, the dedication of the City and County Purchaser and Builders Dictionary included the following words: "These your extraordinary Favours … seem to Postulate from me … a Publick Recognition." That's also how the verb "postulate" was used when English speakers first began using it back in the late 1500s, as a synonym of "require" or "demand." (The word's Latin grandparent, postulare, has the same meaning.) "Postulate" was also used as a noun in the late 1500s, with the meaning "demand" or "stipulation." That sense is now considered archaic, but we still use the noun "postulate." Today, it usually means "a hypothesis advanced as an essential presupposition, condition, or premise of a train of reasoning."
Origin and Etymology of postulate
Latin postulatus, past participle of postulare; akin to Latin poscere to ask, Old High German forscōn to search, Sanskrit pṛcchati he asks — more at pray
Other Logic Terms
Definition of postulate
1 : a hypothesis advanced as an essential presupposition, condition, or premise of a train of reasoning
2 : axiom 2
Examples of postulate in a Sentence
Einstein's theory of relativity was deduced from two postulates.
one of the postulates that the true agnostic rejects is the assumption that it is even possible for us to know whether God exists
Origin and Etymology of postulate
Medieval Latin postulatum, from neuter of postulatus, past participle of postulare to assume, from Latin, to demand
Other Logic Terms
POSTULATE Defined for English Language Learners
postulate
playDefinition of postulate for English Language Learners
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: to suggest (something, such as an idea or theory) especially in order to start a discussion
postulate
playDefinition of postulate for English Language Learners
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: a statement that is accepted as being true and that is used as the basis of a theory, argument, etc.
Medical Dictionary
postulate
playMedical Definition of postulate
: a hypothesis advanced as an essential presupposition, condition, or premise of a train of reasoning—see koch's postulates
Learn More about postulate
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See words that rhyme with postulate Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for postulate Spanish Central: Translation of postulate Nglish: Translation of postulate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of postulate for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about postulate
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