English
supposition
Supposition comes from Latin suppositiō, from positiōnem ‘position’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tḱey- ‘to build, cultivate’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tḱey-‘to build, cultivate’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tḱinétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sinō‘to put in place’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsame form‘to put in place’reconstructed
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpōnōas pōnere‘put, place’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpositus‘position’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpositiōnem‘position’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsuppositiō
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400supposicion
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500supposicioun‘a proposition or assertion’
- Englishearliest quotation 1934supposition
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tḱey-‘to build, cultivate’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tḱinétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sinō‘to put in place’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsame form‘to put in place’reconstructed
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpōnōas pōnere‘put, place’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpositus‘position’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpositiōnem‘position’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsuppositiō
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400supposicion
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500supposicioun‘a proposition or assertion’
- Englishearliest quotation 1934supposition
Earliest quotation: 1934, Ernest Bramah: “The supposition that Geoffrey had been chloroformed was a…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *tḱey- ‘to build, cultivate’
homeless, compound, hamlet, impose, bohemian, homely, hame, 52 more
through Proto-Italic *sinō ‘to put in place’
through Latin *sinō ‘to put in place’
site, situation, posture, situate, compostela, situs, prepositional, 14 more
through Latin pōnō ‘put, place’
post, purpose, positive, opposite, opponent, propose, expose, opposition, composition, dispose, consolation, compose, proposition, repository, proponent, exposition, exponent, disposition, deposition, expound, imposition, pone, preposition, positivism, compositor, presuppose, apposite, 43 more
through Latin positus ‘position’
Today it means
noun Something that is supposed; an assumption made to account for known facts, conjecture.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *tḱey- / supposition