ENGLISH
REFERENCE

posit

v.
C1 Advanced US //ˈpɑzət// UK //pˈɒsɪt// posit

v. to suggest an idea or a fact as the basis for an argument. You use this when you want to start a discussion by assuming something is true.

v. to assume as a fact or put forward as a basis for argument. Transitive; typically used in academic or formal contexts to establish a premise.


SIMPLE

Scientists posit that the climate is changing faster than expected.

CONTEXTUAL

The researchers posit a direct link between sleep deprivation and decreased cognitive performance in adults.

COMPLEX

While some historians posit that the revolution was inevitable due to economic collapse, others argue that specific political failures were the primary catalyst for the uprising.

Synonyms
Origin

From Latin positus, the perfect participle of pōnō (“put, place”), imported intact; in 2017 the American computer scientist John Gustafson bolted a third noun sense onto it, a numerical format now marketed under the same label.

Usage

The verb is transitive and often takes a 'that' clause or a direct noun object.

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