postulate
1. pos.tu.late \'pa:s-ch*-.la-t\ \.pa:s-ch*-'la--sh*n\ vt [L postulatus,
pp. of postulare, fr. (assumed) postus, pp. of] L poscere to ask; akin to
OHG forsca question, Skt pr<sub-dot>cchati he aks 1: DEMAND, CLAIM 2a: to
depend upon or start from the postulate of 2b: to assume as a postulate or
axiom - pos.tu.la.tion n
2. pos.tu.late \'pa:s-ch*-l*t, -.la-t\ n [ML postulatum, fr. neut. of
postulatus, pp. of postulare to]assume, fr. L, to demand 1: a hypothesis
advanced as an essential presupposition or premise of a tra in of reasoning
2: AXIOM