assumption

[uh-suhmp-shuhn]

noun

1. something taken for granted; a supposition.

   a correct assumption.

   Synonyms: theory, postulate, guess, conjecture, hypothesis, presupposition

2. the act of taking for granted or supposing.

   Synonyms: presupposition, presumption

3. the act of taking to or upon oneself.

   Synonyms: acceptance

4. the act of taking possession of something.

   the assumption of power.

   Synonyms: usurpation, appropriation, seizure

5. arrogance; presumption.

   Synonyms: gall, forwardness, effrontery

6. the taking over of another's debts or obligations.

7. Ecclesiastical.

   1. (often initial capital letter),  the bodily taking up into heaven of the Virgin Mary.

   2. (initial capital letter),  a feast commemorating this, celebrated on August 15.

8. Logic.,  the minor premise of a syllogism.

assumption

¹

/ əˈsʌmpʃən /

noun

1. the act of taking something for granted or something that is taken for granted

2. an assuming of power or possession of something

3. arrogance; presumption

4. logic a statement that is used as the premise of a particular argument but may not be otherwise accepted Compare axiom

Assumption

²

/ əˈsʌmpʃən /

noun

1. the taking up of the Virgin Mary (body and soul) into heaven when her earthly life was ended

2. the feast commemorating this, celebrated by Roman Catholics on Aug 15

Other Word Forms

• misassumption noun
• nonassumption noun
• overassumption noun
• preassumption noun
• reassumption noun
• self-assumption noun
• superassumption noun
• assumptively adverb
• assumptive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of assumption¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English assumpcioun, assompcioun, assumsion, from Latin assūmptiōn- (stem of assūmptiō ), equivalent to assūmpt(us) “taken up” (past participle of assūmere ) + -iōn- noun suffix; assume, -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of assumption¹

C13: from Latin assūmptiō a taking up, from assūmere to _assume

Example Sentences

Red Eye was operating on the assumption that you really had a select group of people awake at 2 or 3 in the morning.

From Los Angeles Times

Or at least that was Kassem's assumption, based on the skull.

From BBC

“Cardi B was behind me. The only assumption I had was that it was from Ms. Ellis as she was facing me,” she testified.

From Los Angeles Times

While many diet culture assumptions may seem like conventional wisdom, health research has found that weight management and being thin are not automatically essential to health.

From Salon

In both cases, she has used her gender to create assumptions that she’s safe and reliable.

From Salon

Related Words

• acceptance 
• belief 
• expectation 
• guess 
• hunch 
• hypothesis 
• inference 
• premise 
• presumption 
• supposition 
• suspicion 
• theory