postulate
Propose as given
To postulate is to assume something as true for the purpose of argument or reasoning, or to claim that something is the case.
In mathematics and logic, a postulate is a statement accepted without proof as a basis for further reasoning—a starting assumption: Euclid's postulates form the foundation of classical geometry.
More broadly, any proposal put forward as essential: The theory postulates that language is innate.
Testable proposed explanation
- conjectureGuess from limited facts
- suppositionBelief without proof
- thesisAcademic argument requiring defense
- speculationUnproven theorizing or risky investment
assumption · proposition · premise · theoretical framework · guiding principle
Accept without verification
- supposeAccept as true tentatively
- hypothesizePropose a tentative explanation
- conjectureGuess from limited facts
- surmiseGuess from incomplete information
infer · speculate · theorize · posit · premise · take for granted · assert · maintain
Statement expressing a judgment
- premiseFoundation for logical argument
- theoremDemonstrated logical conclusion
- proofDemonstration of truth
- deductionConclusion from premises
inference · syllogism · Euclid · geometry · symbolic logic · predicate · validity · derivation
Foundation for logical argument
- assumptionUnverified belief accepted as true
- givenAccepted as fact
- principleFundamental truth or standard
- fundamentalForming the base
starting point · basic truth · self-evident truth · foundation · basis · presupposition · precondition · first principle
hypothesis
Testable proposed explanation
- conjectureGuess from limited facts
- suppositionBelief without proof
- thesisAcademic argument requiring defense
speculation · assumption · proposition · premise · theoretical framework · guiding principle
presume
Accept without verification
- supposeAccept as true tentatively
- hypothesizePropose a tentative explanation
- conjectureGuess from limited facts
surmise · infer · speculate · theorize · posit · premise · take for granted · assert · maintain · hold
proposition
Statement expressing a judgment
- premiseFoundation for logical argument
- theoremDemonstrated logical conclusion
- proofDemonstration of truth
deduction · inference · syllogism · Euclid · geometry · symbolic logic · predicate · validity · derivation · demonstration
premise
Foundation for logical argument
- assumptionUnverified belief accepted as true
- givenAccepted as fact
- principleFundamental truth or standard
fundamental · starting point · basic truth · self-evident truth · foundation · basis · presupposition · precondition · first principle · ground rule
assert
Declare confidently true
put forward · advance · submit · maintain · contend · affirm · profess · pronounce · propose · set forth
- philosophy termstruth, reason, knowledge, wisdom, logic
- math termsnumbers, plus or minus, linear growth, square, operand
- fundamentalsbasics, fundamentals, essentials, foundation, ABCs
- guessesguess, conjecture, supposition, speculation, surmise
- principlesprinciple, ethics, tenet, morals, axiom
- utterancesutterance, statements, exclamation, assertion, questions
- Koch's postulatesCriteria linking pathogen to disease
postulation, postulated, postulates, postulant, postulating, postulations, postulants