Where does “hypothetically” come from?
Hypothetically derives from English hypothetical, from Ancient Greek ὑποθετικός, formed from ὑποτίθημι meaning to suppose and the adjectival suffix -ικός, with ὑποτίθημι built from τίθημι meaning to place or put and the prefix ὑπό meaning under.
hypothetically (English): In a hypothetical way; as a hypothesis; Used to...
Definitions
- In a hypothetical way; as a hypothesis; Used to...
Ancestry of “hypothetically”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | hypothetical | Based upon a hypothesis; conjectural;... |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ὑποθετικός | hypothetical; belonging to the subject;... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ὑπόθεσις | proposal, proposed action; policy, intention;... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ὑποτίθημι | I set before, suggest; put down, pledge; to... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ὑπο- | under, sub-, hypo-; denoting a small degree,... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ὑπό | |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |