supposer

Pronunciation

• IPA: /sy.po.ze/^[1]

Forms

supposer^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin suppōnō (“to put under; to substitute; to subject”), with its form adapted to poser.^{[2][3][4][5][1][6]} The Latin verb is from sub (“under”) and pōnō (“to put, place”) (see pondre).^[3][7] The sense “to assume” developed in French, or in Medieval Latin after the grammarians' “suppositivus” “hypothetical”, a calque of Ancient Greek ὑποθετικός (hupothetikós), Bloch and Wartburg think the verb took it from “supposition”.^[2][3][4][5]

Compare Spanish suponer, Portuguese supor and Italian sopporre.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Psautier d'Oxford (mid-12th century) has it in the concrete Latin sense “to place under”, which lasted until the early 17th century (Stoer, 1628).^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

In Old French it also meant to subject to a jurisdiction (1278).^[3] From about 1270–80 it meant to presume or conjecture (Clef d'Amour), and to posit as a hypothesis, first with an attribute (supposer le problème résolu); supposé que is found about 1330 (Guillaume de Digulleville).^[2][3] Oresme (1370) uses it for “to require as a necessary condition”: elettion … suppose liberté et prudence.^[2][8] From Latin law came “to substitute” (1520) and “to pass off as genuine” (1538), as in supposer un testament or supposer un enfant (1552).^[2][5][7]

Timeline

• c. 1120 – “To place under”, Psautier d'Oxford.^[4]
• 1278 – To subject to a jurisdiction.^[3]
• 1280 – “To conjecture”, Clef d'Amour.^[2]
• c. 1330 – Supposé que.^[2]
• 1370 – To imply, Oresme.^[2]
• 1538 – To pass off as genuine, Robert Estienne.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To suppose, assume as a hypothesis: supposons que vous ayez raison, à supposer que, en supposant que.^[9][1]
2. To presume, think likely: je suppose qu'il viendra.^[1][8]
3. To imply, require as a condition: le succès suppose du travail.^[2][1]
4. To attribute (a quality) to someone: vous me supposez un crédit que je n'ai pas.^[8]
5. (law) To substitute fraudulently, pass off as genuine: supposer un testament.^[2][5]

Word family

• supposé
• supposable
• présupposer
• présupposition

Related words

• supposition
• poser
• Latin suppōnō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 8, 72b
7. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert