hypothesis

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: hy=poth=e=sis

CIDE DICTIONARY

hypothesis, n. [NL., fr. Gr. foundation, supposition, fr. to place under, under + to put. See Hypo-, Thesis.].

•  A supposition; a proposition or principle which is supposed or taken for granted, in order to draw a conclusion or inference for proof of the point in question; something not proved, but assumed for the purpose of argument, or to account for a fact or an occurrence; as, the hypothesis that head winds detain an overdue steamer.  [1913 Webster]

  "An hypothesis being a mere supposition, there are no other limits to hypotheses than those of the human imagination."  [1913 Webster]
•  A tentative theory or supposition provisionally adopted to explain certain facts, and to guide in the investigation of others; hence, frequently called a working hypothesis.

Nebular hypothesis. See under Nebular.

Syn. -- Supposition; assumption. See Theory.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

hypothesis, n. (pl. hypotheses)
1 a proposition made as a basis for reasoning, without the assumption of its truth.
2 a supposition made as a starting-point for further investigation from known facts (cf. THEORY).
3 a groundless assumption.

Etymology

LL f. Gk hupothesis foundation (as HYPO-, THESIS)

THESAURUS

hypothesis

a priori principle, affirmation, apriorism, assertion, assumed position, assumption, axiom, basis, categorical proposition, conjecture, data, first principles, foundation, ground, guesswork, hypothesis ad hoc, inference, lemma, major premise, minor premise, philosopheme, philosophical proposition, position, postulate, postulation, postulatum, premise, premiss, presumption, presupposal, presupposition, proposition, propositional function, set of postulates, speculation, statement, sumption, supposal, supposing, supposition, surmise, theorem, theory, thesis, truth table, truth-function, truth-value, working hypothesis

ROGET THESAURUS

hypothesis

Supposition

N supposition, assumption, assumed position, postulation, condition, presupposition, hypothesis, blue sky hypothesis, postulate, postulatum, theory, thesis, theorem, data, proposition, position, proposal, presumption, divination, conjecture, guess, guesswork, speculation, rough guess, shot, shot in the dark, conjecturality, surmise, suspicion, sneaking suspicion, estimate, approximation (nearness), inkling, suggestion, hint, intimation, notion, impression, bare supposition, vague supposition, loose supposition, loose suggestion, association of ideas, (analogy), metonym, metonymy, simile (metaphor), conceit, idea, thought, original idea, invention (imagination), supposing, given, mooted, postulatory, assumed, supposititious, suppositive, suppositious, gratuitous, speculative, conjectural, hypothetical, theoretical, academic, supposable, presumptive, putative, suppositional, suggestive, allusive, if, if so be, an, on the supposition, ex hypothesi, in the case, in the event of, quasi, as if, provided, perhaps, for aught one knows.