postulate

(pŏs'chə-lāt')
tr.v., -lat·ed, -lat·ing, -lates.

1. To make claim for; demand.
2. To assume or assert the truth, reality, or necessity of, especially as a basis of an argument.
3. To assume as a premise or axiom; take for granted. See synonyms at presume.

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. A requirement; a prerequisite.

[Medieval Latin postulāre, postulāt-, to nominate to a bishopric, to assume, from Latin, to request.]

postulation pos'tu·la'tion n.

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In a formal deductive system, a proposition accepted without proof, from which other propositions are deduced by the conventional methods of formal logic. There is a certain arbitrariness as to which propositions are to be treated as postulates, because when certain proved propositions are treated as such, other propositions which were originally postulates often become proved propositions. In strict usage, the term postulate is nearly equivalent to axiom, although axiom is often loosely used to denote a truth supposed to be self-evident. See also Logic.

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verb

To take for granted without proof: assume, posit, premise, presume, presuppose, suppose. Informal reckon. See belief/unbelief.

noun

Something taken to be true without proof: assumption, postulation, premise, presupposition, supposition, theory, thesis. See reason/unreason.

v

Definition: suppose, figure
Antonyms: calculate

A posit or axiom.

A statement in a theory that describes the relationship of the hypothetical constructs.

IN BRIEF: To claim; to assume as true, existent or necessary.

The liberty of the individual is a necessary postulate of human progress. — Ernest Renan

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Anything assumed or taken for granted.

• Koch's p's — see koch's postulates.

For a list of words related to postulate, see:

• Quantities, Relationships, and Operations - postulate: unproved assumption
• Logic - postulate: statement or proposition assumed to be true without proof
• Reasoning and Informing - postulate: state as true as the basis for reasoning
• Reason and Rationale - postulate: hypothesis assumed as basis for line of reasoning

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See words rhyming with "postulate."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Postulate.

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - postulere
n. - postulat, forudsætning, grundprincip

Nederlands (Dutch)
postuleren, postulaat, stelling, hypothese, stellen

Français (French)
v. tr. - postuler, poser (qch) comme postulat
n. - postulat

Deutsch (German)
n. - Postulat
v. - postulieren, aufstellen, fordern

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (μαθημ.) αξίωμα
v. - απαιτώ, αξιώνω, παίρνω ως δεδομένο, θέτω ως αξίωμα, διατυπώνω αξιωματικώς

Italiano (Italian)
postulare

Português (Portuguese)
n. - postulado (m)
v. - postular

Русский (Russian)
постулировать, аксиома

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - postular
n. - postulado

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - sats, grundprincip
v. - anta, förutsätta, postulera

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
要求, 假定, 基本条件

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 要求, 假定
n. - 假定, 基本條件

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - ~을 가정하다
n. - 가정, 자명한 원리

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 仮定する, 要求する
n. - 仮定, 公準

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) افتراض, المسلمه (فعل) يطالب, يفترض, يدعو لنفسه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮הניח (הנחה), לקח כמובן מאליו, הניח כתנאי מוקדם, תבע, מינה או בחר למישרה גבוהה‬
n. - ‮הנחה, דרישה, עיקרון-יסודי, אקסיומה‬

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