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Webster 1913 Edition

Hypothesis

Hy-poth′e-sis

,
Noun.
;
pl.
Hypotheses
(#)
.
[NL., fr. Gr. [GREEK] foundation, supposition, fr. [GREEK] to place under, [GREEK] under + [GREEK] to put. See
Hypo-
,
Thesis
.]
1.
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
.
An
hypothesis
being a mere supposition, there are no other limits to
hypotheses
than those of the human imagination.
J. S. Mill.
Syn. – Supposition; assumption. See
Theory
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Hypothesis

HYPOTH'ESIS

,
Noun.
[L. from Gr. a supposition; to suppose.]
1.
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.
2.
A system or theory imagined or assumed to account for what is not understood.

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