postulate

pos·tu·late

 (pŏs′chə-lāt′)

tr.v. pos·tu·lat·ed, pos·tu·lat·ing, pos·tu·lates

1. To assume or assert the truth, reality, or necessity of, especially as a basis of an argument: "We can see individuals, but we can't see providence; we have to postulate it" (Aldous Huxley).

2. To propose as a hypothesis or explanation: Researchers now postulate that the disease is caused by a virus.

3. To assume as a premise or axiom; take for granted.

4. Archaic To make claim for; demand.

n. (pŏs′chə-lĭt, -lāt′)

1. Something assumed without proof as being self-evident or generally accepted, especially when used as a basis for an argument: "the postulate that there is little moral difference between the superpowers" (Henry A. Kissinger).

2. A fundamental element; a basic principle.

3. Mathematics An axiom.

4. Archaic A requirement; a prerequisite.

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[Medieval Latin postulāre, postulāt-, to nominate to a bishopric, to assume, from Latin, to request; see prek- in Indo-European roots.]

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pos′tu·la′tion n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

postulate

vb (tr; may take a clause as object)

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. (Mathematics) 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]

ˌpostuˈlation n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pos•tu•late

(v. ˈpɒs tʃəˌleɪt; n. -lɪt, -ˌleɪt)

v. -lat•ed, -lat•ing,
n. v.t.

1. to claim or assume the existence or truth of, esp. as a basis for reasoning or arguing.

2. to ask, demand, or claim.

3. to assume without proof, or as self-evident; take for granted.

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

n.

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

6. Math., 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.

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

pos`tu•la′tion, n.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

pos·tu·late

(pŏs′chə-lĭt)

A principle that is accepted as true without proof; an axiom.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

postulate

Past participle: postulated
Gerund: postulating

Imperative

postulate

postulate

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	postulate - (logic) a proposition that is accepted as true in order to provide a basis for logical reasoning posit Bayes' postulate - (statistics) the difficulty of applying Bayes' theorem is that the probabilities of the different causes are seldom known, in which case it may be postulated that they are all equal (sometimes known as postulating the equidistribution of ignorance) logic - the branch of philosophy that analyzes inference proposition - (logic) a statement that affirms or denies something and is either true or false assumption, premise, premiss - a statement that is assumed to be true and from which a conclusion can be drawn; "on the assumption that he has been injured we can infer that he will not to play"
Verb	1.	postulate - maintain or assert; "He contended that Communism had no future" contend claim - assert or affirm strongly; state to be true or existing; "He claimed that he killed the burglar"
	2.	postulate - take as a given; assume as a postulate or axiom; "He posited three basic laws of nature" posit presuppose, suppose - take for granted or as a given; suppose beforehand; "I presuppose that you have done your work" insist, assert - assert to be true; "The letter asserts a free society"
	3.	postulate - require as useful, just, or proper; "It takes nerve to do what she did"; "success usually requires hard work"; "This job asks a lot of patience and skill"; "This position demands a lot of personal sacrifice"; "This dinner calls for a spectacular dessert"; "This intervention does not postulate a patient's consent" necessitate, need, require, call for, demand, involve, ask, take exact, claim, take - take as an undesirable consequence of some event or state of affairs; "the accident claimed three lives"; "The hard work took its toll on her" govern - require to be in a certain grammatical case, voice, or mood; "most transitive verbs govern the accusative case in German" draw - require a specified depth for floating; "This boat draws 70 inches" cost - require to lose, suffer, or sacrifice; "This mistake cost him his job" cry for, cry out for - need badly or desperately; "This question cries out for an answer" compel - necessitate or exact; "the water shortage compels conservation"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

postulate

verb (Formal) presuppose, suppose, advance, propose, assume, put forward, take for granted, predicate, theorize, posit, hypothesize Freud postulated that we all have a death instinct.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

postulate

verb

To take for granted without proof:

assume, posit, premise, presume, presuppose, suppose.

Informal: reckon.

noun

Something taken to be true without proof:

assumption, postulation, premise, presupposition, supposition, theory, thesis.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

postulát

PostulatpostulierenVoraussetzungAxiom

αίτημααξίωμα

oletus

postulatpostuler

postulat

postularepostulato

postulo

postulerepostulat

постулат

axiompostulatpostulera

postulate

A. [ˈpɒstjʊlɪt] N → postulado m

B. [ˈpɒstjʊleɪt] VT → postular

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

postulate

[ˈpɒstjʊleɪt] vt → postuler

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

postulate

n → Postulat nt

vt → postulieren; theory → aufstellen

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

postulate

[ˈpɒstjʊˌleɪt] vt (frm) → postulare

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995