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Origin and history of assumption

assumption(n.)

c. 1300, assumpcioun, "the reception, uncorrupted, of the Virgin Mary into Heaven" (also the Aug. 15 Church festival commemorating this, Feast of the Assumption), from Old French assumpcion, asumpsion (13c.) and directly from Latin assumptionem (nominative assumptio) "a taking up, receiving, acceptance, adoption," noun of action from past-participle stem of assumere "take up, take to oneself" (see assume).

The meaning "minor premise of a syllogism" is late 14c. The meaning "appropriation of a right or possession" is mid-15c. in English, from a Latin use (Cicero). The meaning "action of taking for oneself" is recorded from 1580s; that of "something taken for granted" is from 1620s.

also from c. 1300

Entries linking to assumption

assume(v.)

early 15c., assumen, "arrogate, take upon oneself," from Latin assumere, adsumere "to take up, take to oneself, take besides, obtain in addition," from ad "to, toward, up to" (see ad-) + sumere "to take," from sub "under" (see sub-) + emere "to take" (from PIE root *em- "to take, distribute").

The meaning "to suppose, to take for granted without proof as the basis of argument" is recorded by 1590s; that of "to take or put on fictitiously" (an appearance, etc.) is from c. 1600. Related: Assumed; assuming.

The early past participle was assumpt. In rhetorical usage, assume expresses what the assumer postulates, often as a confessed hypothesis; presume expresses what the presumer really believes. Middle English also had assumpten "to receive up into heaven" (especially of the Virgin Mary), from the Latin past participle. The make an ass of u and me joke is attested by 1957.

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    supposition
    early 15c., supposicioun, a term in Scholastic logic, "admission of a likelihood based on the truth of its consequences, assumption for the sake of argument, hypothetical inference, conjecture," from Medieval Latin suppositionem (nominative suppositio) "assumption, hypothesis, a
    premise
    late 14c., in logic, "a previous proposition from which another follows, a judgment causing another judgment," from Old French premisse (14c.), from Medieval Latin praemissa (propositio or sententia) "(the proposition) set before," noun use of fem. past participle of Latin praemi
    presumption
    mid-13c., presumpcioun, "seizure and occupation without right," also "taking upon oneself more than good sense and propriety warrant," from Old French presumcion (12c., Modern French présomption) and directly from Late Latin praesumptionem (nominative praesumptio) "confidence, au
    petitio principii
    It translates Greek to en arkhē aiteisthai "an assumption at the outset."...In logic, the assumption of that which in the beginning was set forth to be proved; begging the question: a fallacy or fault...follow from their premises, either necessarily or with the degree of probability pretended, the fault consisting in the assumption...
    Letitia
    On the assumption that "fat, rich" is the older meaning, this word has been connected to lardus "bacon" and largus "generous...
    dolorous
    Latin dolorosus "painful, sorrowful," from Latin dolor "pain, grief," perhaps from PIE root *delh- "to chop" "under the assumption...
    jade
    But OED finds the assumption of a Scandinavian connection "without reason."...
    cornerstone
    also corner-stone, late 13c., "stone which lies at the corner of two walls and unites them" (often the starting point of a building), hence, figuratively, "that on which anything is founded;" from corner (n.) + stone (n.). The figurative use is biblical (Isaiah xxvii.16, Job xxxv
    given
    late 14c., "allotted, predestined," past-participle adjective from give (v.). From 1560s as "admitted, supposed, allowed as a supposition." From late 14c. as "disposed, addicted." Middle English also had a noun give, yeve "that which is given or offered freely." The modern noun s
    effrontery
    "shamelessness, impudence, boldness in transgressing the bounds of modesty and propriety," 1715, from French effronterie, from effronté "shameless," from Old French esfronte "shameless, brazen," probably from Late Latin effrontem (nominative effrons) "barefaced, shameless," from

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