Category:Postulate

Pos"tu*late, n. Etym: [l. postulatum a demand, request, prop. p. p. Of postulare to demand, prob. a dim. of poscere to demand, prob. for Porcscere; akin to g. forschen to search, investigate, skr. prach to Ask, and l. precari to pray: cf. F. postulat. See pray.]

1. Something demanded or asserted; especially, a position or Supposition assumed without proof, or one which is considered as Self-evident; a truth to which assent may be demanded or challenged, Without argument or evidence.

2. (geom.)

Defn: the enunciation of a self-evident problem, in distinction from An axiom, which is the enunciation of a self-evident theorem. The distinction between a postulate and an axiom lies in this, -- That the latter is admitted to be self-evident, while the former may Be agreed upon between two reasoners, and admitted by both, but not As proposition which it would be impossible to deny. Eng. Cyc.

Postulate Pos"tu*late, a.

Defn: postulated. [obs.] Hudibras.

Postulate Pos"tu*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Postulated; p. pr. & vb. n. Postulating.]

1. To beg, or assume without proof; as, to postulate conclusions.

2. To take without express consent; to assume. The byzantine emperors appear to have. . . postulated a sort of Paramount supremacy over this nation. W. Tooke.

3. To invite earnestly; to solicit. [obs.] Bp. Burnet.