Suppositional

Suppositional is an adjective that describes something grounded in supposition or hypothetical assumption rather than demonstrable fact. It can refer to reasoning, arguments, statements, or methods that proceed from an assumed premise used for analysis, testing consistency, or exploring consequences.

Etymology: from Latin suppositus, the past participle of supponere ("to suppose"), from sub- "under" + ponere "to place." In English, the form has been used since the 16th century to denote things related to supposition.

Usage: In philosophy and logic, suppositional reasoning treats a premise as if it were true to examine implications; conclusions based on suppositional premises are not claims of fact but speculative results. In grammar and linguistics, the term may describe clauses, utterances, or analyses that express hypothetical scenarios or conditional reasoning, often overlapping with the subjunctive mood or conditional structures. In more general writing, "suppositional" describes arguments or claims that are provisional or hypothetical, intended for examination rather than assertion.

See also: supposition, hypothesis, hypothetical, subjunctive mood.