Standard Lemma guide

presumption

noun · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /pɹɪˈzʌmp.ʃən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʌmpʃən
  • CMU ARPABET: P R IH0 Z AH1 M P SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: P R IY0 Z AH1 M P SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of presuming, or something presumed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The belief of something based upon reasonable evidence, or upon something known to be true.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The presumption is that an event has taken place.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The condition upon which something is presumed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Arrogant behaviour; the act of venturing beyond due bounds of reverence or respect.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, dated, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

An inference that a trier of fact is either permitted or required to draw under certain factual circumstances (as prescribed by statute or case law) unless the party against whom the inference is drawn is able to rebut it with admissible, competent evidence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

a kind of discourtesy in the form of an act of presuming

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • his presumption was intolerable

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: discourtesy, offense, offence, offensive activity

7

noun

Meaning 7

audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he despised them for their presumptuousness

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: presumptuousness, effrontery, assumption

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: audacity, audaciousness

Narrower terms: uppityness, uppishness

8

noun

Meaning 8

(law) an inference of the truth of a fact from other facts proved or admitted or judicially noticed

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: inference, illation

9

noun

Meaning 9

an assumption that is taken for granted

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: given, precondition

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: assumption, supposition, supposal

History

Etymology

From pre- + Latin sūmptus + -ion, from Middle English presumpcioun, presumption, from Old French presumption and its etymon Latin praesūmptiō.

Across languages

Translations

73 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: предположение (predpoloženie) — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • Catalan: presumpció — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • Dutch: aanname — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • Finnish: otaksuma — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • Finnish: otaksuminen — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • German: Annahme — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • German: Vermutung — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • German: Mutmaßung — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • German: Annehmen — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • German: Vermuten — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • German: Mutmaßen — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • Hungarian: vélelmezés — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • Hungarian: feltételezés — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • Kazakh: анық-қанығына жету (anyq-qanyğyna jetu) — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • Old English: nōþ — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • Portuguese: suposição — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • Romanian: presupunere — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • Romanian: prezumție — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • Russian: предположе́ние (predpoložénije) — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • Russian: допуще́ние (dopuščénije) — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • Spanish: presunción — the act of presuming, or something presumed
  • Bulgarian: допускане (dopuskane) — the belief of something based upon reasonable evidence, or upon something known to be true
  • Catalan: presumpció — the belief of something based upon reasonable evidence, or upon something known to be true
  • Dutch: vermoeden — the belief of something based upon reasonable evidence, or upon something known to be true
  • Finnish: otaksuma — the belief of something based upon reasonable evidence, or upon something known to be true
  • Finnish: oletus — the belief of something based upon reasonable evidence, or upon something known to be true
  • Finnish: olettamus — the belief of something based upon reasonable evidence, or upon something known to be true
  • German: Annahme — the belief of something based upon reasonable evidence, or upon something known to be true
  • German: Vermutung — the belief of something based upon reasonable evidence, or upon something known to be true
  • German: Mutmaßung — the belief of something based upon reasonable evidence, or upon something known to be true
  • German: Präsumtion — the belief of something based upon reasonable evidence, or upon something known to be true
  • German: Präsumption — the belief of something based upon reasonable evidence, or upon something known to be true
  • Hungarian: vélelem — the belief of something based upon reasonable evidence, or upon something known to be true
  • Hungarian: feltevés — the belief of something based upon reasonable evidence, or upon something known to be true
  • Romanian: prezumție — the belief of something based upon reasonable evidence, or upon something known to be true
  • Russian: презу́мпция (prezúmpcija) — the belief of something based upon reasonable evidence, or upon something known to be true
  • Bulgarian: предположение (predpoloženie) — the condition upon which something is presumed
  • Catalan: presumpció — the condition upon which something is presumed
  • Finnish: otaksuma — the condition upon which something is presumed
  • German: Annahme — the condition upon which something is presumed
  • German: Wahrscheinlichkeit — the condition upon which something is presumed
  • Russian: предположе́ние (predpoložénije) — the condition upon which something is presumed
  • Russian: допуще́ние (dopuščénije) — the condition upon which something is presumed
  • Russian: вероя́тность (verojátnostʹ) — the condition upon which something is presumed
  • Bulgarian: самонадеяност (samonadejanost) — arrogant behaviour
  • Dutch: aanmatiging — arrogant behaviour
  • German: Überheblichkeit — arrogant behaviour
  • German: Einbildung — arrogant behaviour
  • German: Vermessenheit — arrogant behaviour
  • German: Dreistigkeit — arrogant behaviour
  • German: Dreistheit — arrogant behaviour
  • German: Unverschämtheit — arrogant behaviour
  • German: Dünkel — arrogant behaviour
  • German: Übermut — arrogant behaviour
  • German: Anmaßung — arrogant behaviour
  • Hungarian: tiszteletlenség — arrogant behaviour
  • Hungarian: fölényesség — arrogant behaviour
  • Hungarian: kivagyiság — arrogant behaviour
  • Hungarian: pökhendiség — arrogant behaviour
  • Māori: whakaī — arrogant behaviour
  • Māori: ī — arrogant behaviour
  • Māori: tīkai — arrogant behaviour
  • Portuguese: presunção — arrogant behaviour
  • Romanian: prezumție — arrogant behaviour
  • Russian: самонаде́янность (samonadéjannostʹ) — arrogant behaviour
  • Russian: высокоме́рие (vysokomérije) — arrogant behaviour
  • Russian: надме́нность (nadménnostʹ) — arrogant behaviour
  • Dutch: vermoeden — legal inference based on a rule or policy of law regardless of the facts
  • French: présomption — legal inference based on a rule or policy of law regardless of the facts
  • German: Vermutung — legal inference based on a rule or policy of law regardless of the facts
  • Italian: presunzione — legal inference based on a rule or policy of law regardless of the facts
  • Kazakh: анық-қанығына жету (anyq-qanyğyna jetu) — legal inference based on a rule or policy of law regardless of the facts
  • Welsh: rhagdybiaeth — legal inference based on a rule or policy of law regardless of the facts