assumption Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a statement that is assumed to be true and from which a conclusion can be drawn
    premiss; premise.
    • on the assumption that he has been injured we can infer that he will not to play
  2. noun a hypothesis that is taken for granted
    supposal; supposition.
    • any society is built upon certain assumptions
  3. noun the act of taking possession of or power over something
    laying claim.
    • his assumption of office coincided with the trouble in Cuba
    • the Nazi assumption of power in 1934
    • he acquired all the company's assets for ten million dollars and the assumption of the company's debts
  4. noun celebration in the Roman Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary's being taken up into heaven when her earthly life ended; corresponds to the Dormition in the Eastern Orthodox Church
    Assumption of Mary; August 15.
  5. noun (Christianity) the taking up of the body and soul of the Virgin Mary when her earthly life had ended
  6. noun audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to
    presumption; presumptuousness; effrontery.
    • he despised them for their presumptuousness
  7. noun the act of assuming or taking for granted
    • your assumption that I would agree was unwarranted

WordNet

As*sump"tion noun
Etymology
OE. assumpcioun a taking up into heaven, L. assumptio a taking, fr. assumere: cf. F. assomption. See Assume.
Definitions
  1. The act of assuming, or taking to or upon one's self; the act of taking up or adopting.
    The assumption of authority. Whewell.
  2. The act of taking for granted, or supposing a thing without proof; supposition; unwarrantable claim.
    This gives no sanction to the unwarrantable assumption that the soul sleeps from the period of death to the resurrection of the body. Thodey.
    That calm assumption of the virtues. W. Black.
  3. The thing supposed; a postulate, or proposition assumed; a supposition.
    Hold! says the Stoic; your assumption's wrong. Dryden.
  4. (Logic) The minor or second proposition in a categorical syllogism.
  5. The taking of a person up into heaven. Hence: (Rom. Cath. & Greek Churches) A festival in honor of the ascent of the Virgin Mary into heaven.

Webster 1913