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Definition of hypothesis : 1. A supposition; a proposition or principle which is supposed or taken for granted, in order to draw a conclusion or inference for proof of the point in question; something not proved, but assumed for the purpose of argument, or to account for a fact or an occurrence; as, the hypothesis that head winds detain an overdue steamer.
2. A tentative theory or supposition provisionally adopted to explain certain facts, and to guide in the investigation of others; hence, frequently called a working hypothesis.

Synonyms:

apriority, suggestion, opening, deduction, guessing, scheme, system, demonstration, working hypothesis, postulate, basis for discussion, guess-so, explanation, law, interpretation, surmisal, supposal, attribution, guesswork, rationale, reason, shot in the dark, tentative plans, shot, philosophy, surmise, possible action, dead reckoning, term, philosopheme, clotheshorse, foundation, study at theory, starting point, prediction, lemma, data, possibleness, ground, proposal, preliminary layout, thoughts, venture, meditation, possibility, presupposition, tentative law, antecedent, assignment, condition, derivation

contention, essay, interpolation, article, discussion, thesis, position, assertion, argument, examination, research, commentary, criticism, analysis, conjecture, postulation, opinion, premise, dissertation, critique

inference, principle, text, question, theorem, idea, concept, point, subject, assumption, theme, matter, presumption, issue, basis, problem, consideration, statement, paradigm, exposition, motif, topic, belief, axiom, query

imagination, conception, speculation, inkling, prophecy, supposition, fantasy, guess, theory

Usage examples:

• Should the believers in special creations consider it unfair thus to call upon them to describe how special creations take place, I reply that this is far less than they demand from the supporters of the Development Hypothesis. - "Essays: Scientific, Political, & Speculative, Vol. I", Herbert Spencer.
• I don't say it was so,- but I can see my way upon that hypothesis. - "The Eustace Diamonds", Anthony Trollope.
• " There is one very material hypothesis, which you assume as a fact, but which is, unfortunately, not a fact," said Croyden. - "In Her Own Right", John Reed Scott.