presupposition

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   An assumption made beforehand; a preliminary conjecture or speculation.

   He made one cardinal error in his presuppositions about the relation between language and perception, but in this he was far from alone.

2. 2
   noun

   An assumption or belief implicit in an utterance or other use of language.

   For instance: a verb might convey someone's evaluation of it as a presupposition. To say ‘they deprived him of a visit to his parents’ presupposes that he wanted to visit (vs. ‘spare him a visit...’).

3. 3
   noun

   the act of presupposing

4. 4
   noun

   The act of presupposing.

Etymology

From Middle French présupposition, from Latin praesuppositio, from the past participle stem of praesuppōnere (“to presuppose”).