suppose

Pronunciation

• IPA: UK /səˈpəʊz/, US /səˈpoʊz/^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English supposen,^[2][3][4] borrowed from Old French supposer (“to assume”) (13th century),^[2][3] probably a replacement, under the influence of poser “to put, place”, of *suppondre,^[2][3][4] from Latin suppōnere (“to put under; to subordinate”),^[2][3][5] which in Medieval Latin also meant “to suppose, assume”,^[4][3] from sub “under” and pōnere “to put, place”.^[2][3] It is related to pose, position and supposition.^[3][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

To hold an opinion, assume, incline to think: about 1303 in Barnhart, in Mannyng's Handlyng Synne;^[3] about 1300 in Etymonline, also “to make a hypothesis”;^[2] 1340 in the OED.^[6]

Semantic evolution

To imagine or conceive is from about 1386,^[6] and parenthetical I suppose from 1390.^[6] To admit as possible, believe without reflection, is from the 1520s,^[2] and to infer hypothetically from about 1600.^[2][7] The noun suppose, a supposition, was used from 1566 but is now obsolete.^[6] Supposed as an adjective is from 1582,^[3] and supposedly from 1611.^[3] Supposition is from 1410.^[3] In the dialects of Scotland and the English Midlands suppose was used as a conjunction meaning “even if”.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 1303 – to hold an opinion.^[3]
• c. 1386 – to imagine.^[6]
• 1410 – supposition.^[3]
• 1520s – to believe without reflection.^[2]
• 1566 – noun (obsolete).^[6]
• 1582 – supposed.^[3]
• c. 1600 – to infer hypothetically.^[2]

Modern meaning

Verb

1. To believe or assume, especially on uncertain grounds.
2. To take as true for the sake of argument: suppose it rains.
3. To consider likely; to expect.
4. To require as a condition; to presuppose.
5. be supposed to: to be expected or required to.

Word family

• supposable
• supposably
• supposer
• missuppose
• supposal

Related words

• pose
• position
• supposition
• suppository
• presuppose

References

1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
4. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
5. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
8. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)