I. ˈpäs-chə-ˌlāt transitive verb
( -lat·ed ; -lat·ing )
Etymology: Latin postulatus, past participle of postulare; akin to Latin poscere to ask, Old High German forscōn to search, Sanskrit pṛcchati he asks — more at pray
Date: 1593
1. : demand , claim
2.
a. : to assume or claim as true, existent, or necessary : depend upon or start from the postulate of
b. : to assume as a postulate or axiom (as in logic or mathematics)
• pos·tu·la·tion ˌpäs-chə-ˈlā-shən noun
• pos·tu·la·tion·al -shnəl, -shə-n ə l adjective
II. ˈpäs-chə-lət, -ˌlāt noun
Etymology: Medieval Latin postulatum, from neuter of postulatus, past participle of postulare to assume, from Latin, to demand
Date: 1646
1. : a hypothesis advanced as an essential presupposition, condition, or premise of a train of reasoning
2. : axiom 3