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DictionaryRoot: ponere
Latin

ponere

put, place

Forms

  • pon-
  • posit- — Latin stem of the form meaning ‘placed.’

Origin

Disputed. Proposals connect it either with older elements meaning ‘away’ and ‘leave,’ or with an Indo-European root meaning ‘settle; dwell.’

Note

Some French forms arose from a verb meaning ‘rest’ or ‘pause’ but acquired meanings under this root’s influence.

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Two colleagues discuss route with simple diagram on table; shared thought bubble shows bridge they take for granted, while route map visibly depends on that bridge joining river banks.
noun

presupposition

pree-sup-uh-ZISH-un/ˌpriːsʌpəˈzɪʃn/

An assumption taken for granted before reasoning or speaking.

Etymology
preLatinbefore, in front of
+supLatinunder; up from under; subordinate or lesser
+positionLatinput, place

The pieces suggest something placed underneath beforehand: an assumption serving as a basis. A presupposition is taken as already established before the reasoning or discussion begins.

Full entry

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