Webster's English Dictionary

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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