predicate

pred•i•cate

v. [[t]ˈprɛd ɪˌkeɪt[/t]] adj., n. [[t]-kɪt[/t]] v. -cat•ed, -cat•ing, adj. n.

1) to proclaim; declare; affirm; assert

2) pho logic

a) to affirm or assert (something) of the subject of a proposition

b) to make (a term) the predicate of such a proposition

3) to connote; imply:

Their apology predicates a new attitude[/ex]

4) to found or derive (a statement, action, etc.); base (usu. fol. by on):

to predicate one's behavior on faith in humanity[/ex]

5) to make an affirmation or assertion

6) predicated

7) gram. belonging to or used in the predicate of a sentence

8) gram. a syntactic unit that functions as one of the two main constituents of a sentence, the other being the subject, and that consists of a verb and any words governed by the verb or modifying it, as objects, complements, or adverbs, the whole often expressing the action performed by or the state attributed to the subject, as is here in

The package is here[/ex]

9) pho logic that which is affirmed or denied concerning the subject of a proposition

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Etymology: 1400–50; late ME (< MF predicat) < ML praedicātum, n. use of neut. of L praedicātus, ptp. of praedicāre to declare publicly, assert =prae- pre-+dicāre to show, indicate, make known; cf. preach pred`i•ca′tion, n. pred`i•ca′tion•al, adj. pred′i•ca`tive -ˌkeɪ tɪv, -kə- adj. pred′i•ca`tive•ly, adv.