Definition of: predicate

(pred′i·kāt) v. ·cat·ed, ·cat·ing v.t.
1. To declare; affirm; proclaim.
2. To state or affirm concerning the subject of a proposition.
3. To affirm as a quality or attribute of something.
4. To imply or connote.
5. U.S. To found or base (an argument, proposition, etc.): with on or upon.
—v.i.
6. To make a statement or affirmation. See synonyms under AFFIRM.
—adjective (-kit)
1. Predicated.
2. Gram. Belonging, relating to, or of the nature of a predicate; a predicate adjective.
—noun (-kit)
1. Gram. The word or words in a sentence that express what is affirmed or denied of a subject, as, in the sentence, “Life is short,” “is short” is the predicate.
2. A quality or property inherent in or asserted to belong to a thing.
3. Logic In a proposition, that which is stated about a subject. [<L praedicatus, pp. of praedicare make known]
—pred′i·ca′tive adjective
—pred′i·ca′·tive·ly adverb