praesuppono

Forms

praesuppōnō (present infinitive praesuppōnere, perfect active praesupposuī, supine praesuppositum); third conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin prae- + suppōnō.^[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is a word of scholastic logic and philosophy: the DMLBS quotes it first from Roger Bacon and a Summa ascribed to Grosseteste, in the sense “to require as a condition that must come first”.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Later scholastics such as Duns Scotus and Ockham used it the same way, also with a dative or a clause with quod, and its participle praesuppositum served as a noun for a presupposition.^[2] Church Latin keeps it as “to presuppose”.^[3] In medieval Poland it appears in charters, mostly in the ablative absolute hoc praesupposito, “this being assumed beforehand”, and also meant to prefer.^[4] English presuppose came from Old French or directly from it in the early 15th century.^[5]

Timeline

• 1379 – A Polish charter uses hoc tamen praesupposito, “this however being assumed beforehand”.^[4]
• early 15th century – English presuppose is formed from French or from Medieval Latin.^[5]

Meanings

Verb

1. (Medieval Latin, logic and philosophy) To require as a necessary prior condition, to presuppose.^[2][3][1]
2. (Medieval Latin) To assume or settle beforehand.^[4]
3. (Medieval Latin) To prefer.^[4]

Related words

• English presuppose

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
4. ^ a b c d Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
5. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com