hypothesis
noun (plural hypotheses |-ˌsēz| )
a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation:
｟かたく｠ «…についての/…という» 仮説 «about, for/that節» (→ theory); 〘数〙 仮説
e.g. professional astronomers attacked him for popularizing an unconfirmed hypothesis.
Philosophy a proposition made as a basis for reasoning, without any assumption of its truth.
(議論の)前提
ORIGIN
late 16th century: via late Latin from Greek hupothesis ‘foundation’, from hupo ‘under’ + thesis ‘placing’.