Hypothesis

hī-poth′e-sis, n. a supposition: a proposition a umed for the sake of argument: a theory to be proved or disproved by reference to facts: a provisional explanation of anything.— v.i. Hypoth′esize , to form hypotheses.— adjs. Hypothet′ic , -al , belonging to a hypothesis: conditional.— adv. Hypothet′ically . [Gr., hypo , under, tithenai , to place.]