postulate

Where does the word "postulate" come from? It comes from Latin postulare, and was adopted directly into English (1500s).

Postulate’s story begins in Latin: postulare meant “to demand, to request.” Euclid's five geometric postulates are the classic example. It reached English by 1500s as postulate. Settled as the word for a statement assumed true without proof, as a starting point. Today, postulate means a statement assumed to be true, used as a basis for further reasoning.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient postulare "to demand, to request", Euclid's five geometric postulates are the classic example.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1500s postulate "a statement assumed true as a basis for reasoning", settled as the word for a statement assumed true without proof, as a starting point.