postulate

Name: postulate, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈpɒstjʊlət/

//ˈpɒstjʊlət// noun

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“postulate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #47,269 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#47,269
frequency rank, English: 9
letters: 13
tracked misspellings: 1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Something assumed without proof as being self-evident or generally accepted, especially when used as a basis for an argument. Sometimes distinguished from axioms as being relevant to a particular s...

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

postulate vs populate

78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for postulate
Property	Value
Headword	postulate
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ˈpɒstjʊlət/
Letters	9
Frequency rank	#47,269
Misspellings tracked	13
Confusable pairs	1
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “postulate” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). postulate lands here:

#47,269

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for postulate is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpɒstjʊlət/. Corpus data places it at rank #47,269 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for postulate, with forms such as "opstulate", "posstulate", and "postluate". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "populate", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin postulātus or Latin postulātum. Alternatively, a substantivation of Latin postulātus, perfect passive participle of postulō (“to request”), see -ate (noun-forming suffix) for more. Compare French postulat. The correct English form is postulate, spelled P-O-S-T-U-L-A-T-E.

Definition

1
Something assumed without proof as being self-evident or generally accepted, especially when used as a basis for an argument. Sometimes distinguished from axioms as being relevant to a particular science or context, rather than universally true, and following from other axioms rather than being an absolute assumption.
2
A fundamental element; a basic principle.
3
An axiom.
4
A requirement; a prerequisite.

Etymology

From Latin postulātus or Latin postulātum. Alternatively, a substantivation of Latin postulātus, perfect passive participle of postulō (“to request”), see -ate (noun-forming suffix) for more. Compare French postulat.

This word in other languages

postulado(Español)postulat(Français)Postulat(Deutsch)postulado(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: opstulate,posstulate,postluate,posttulate,postualte,postulaet,postulatte,postullate,postultae,posutlate,potsulate,ppostulate,psotulate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of postulate - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

Edit distance from "postulate"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "postulate"?

"postulate" is spelled P-O-S-T-U-L-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɒstjʊlət/.

What does "postulate" mean?

As a noun, "postulate" means: Something assumed without proof as being self-evident or generally accepted, especially when used as a basis for an argument. Sometimes distinguished from axioms as being relevant to a particular s...

What words are commonly confused with "postulate"?

"postulate" is commonly confused with "populate". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "postulate"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "postulate" is /ˈpɒstjʊlət/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "postulate"?

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “postulate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is P-O-S-T-U-L-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈpɒstjʊlət/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Don't mix it up with “populate” - see the side-by-side comparison. postulate vs populate
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.