assumption

name

1. The Assumption of Mary, the mother of Jesus, into heaven, a Catholic dogma.
2. A Christian holy day of obligation (August 15) celebrating the Assumption of Mary.

noun

Etymology: From Middle English assumpcioun, from Medieval Latin assūmptiō (“a taking up (into heaven)”) and Latin assūmptiō (“a taking up, adoption, the minor proposition of a syllogism”) (whence -ion), from Latin assūmō (whence as- (“assimilated form of ad-”). See also assume. Doublet of assumptio.

1. The act of assuming, or taking to or upon oneself; the act of taking up or adopting.

   “His assumption of secretarial duties was timely.”

2. The act of taking for granted, or supposing a thing without proof; a supposition; an unwarrantable claim.

   “Their assumption of his guilt disqualified them from jury duty.”

3. The thing supposed; a postulate, or proposition assumed; a supposition.

   “No doubt a finite evaluative argument must make some unargued evaluative assumptions, just as finite factual arguments must make some unargued factual assumptions.”

4. The minor or second proposition in a categorical syllogism.
5. The taking of a person up into heaven.

   “Of vvhat texte thou proveſt hell / vvill a nother prove purgatory / a nother lymbo patrum / and a nother the aſſumpcion of oure ladi: And a nother ſhall prove of the ſame texte that an Ape hath a tayle.”

6. A festival in honor of the ascent of the Virgin Mary into heaven, celebrated on 15 August.
7. Assumptio.