English
suppose
Suppose comes from Middle English supposen, from Old French supposer, from sub- ‘under’ + poser ‘to place’.
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400poser‘to place’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400supposer‘to suppose’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500supposen
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588suppose
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400poser‘to place’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400supposer‘to suppose’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500supposen
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588suppose
Earliest quotation: c. 1587–1588, Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […]: “[He] keeps you from the honors of a Queene,…”
The story
From Middle English supposen, borrowed from Old French supposer, equivalent to prefix sub- (‘under’) + poser (‘to place’); corresponding in meaning to Latin supponere (‘to put under, to substitute, falsify, counterfeit’), suppositum.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *tḱey- ‘to cultivate’
site, situation, post, position, positive, purpose, homeless, compound, opponent, hamlet, consolation, bohemian, propose, expose, impose, repository, proponent, dispose, homely, compose, exponent, situate, expound, posit, hame, situs, pone, 69 more
Today it means
verb To take for granted; to conclude, with less than absolute supporting data; to believe.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old French poser / suppose