- predicate (n.)
- 1532, a term in logic, from L. prędicatum "that which is said of the subject," prop. neut. pp. of prędicare "assert, proclaim, declare publicly," from prę- "forth, before" + dicare "proclaim," from stem of dicere "to speak, to say" (see diction). Grammatical sense is from 1638. Phrase predicated on "founded on, based on," is Amer.Eng., first recorded 1766.