To propose is to suggest a plan or idea for others to consider, or to ask someone to marry you.
From Latin *proponere* 'to put forward', from *pro-* 'forward' and *ponere* 'to put'. It centered on putting an idea out where others can see it.
When you propose, you’re literally 'putting forward' a piece of your mind or heart. That’s why proposing marriage feels so intense—you’re not just offering a plan, you’re offering a future.
To "propose" in professional and academic contexts has long been open to all, but women’s proposals were often discounted or attributed to male colleagues. In romantic contexts, cultural norms historically cast men as the ones who propose, reinforcing gendered expectations about initiative.
Use "propose" without assuming which gender takes initiative; in examples, vary who proposes ideas, projects, or marriage.
["suggest","put forward","recommend"]
When recounting the history of ideas, highlight how women proposed key theories, methods, and reforms that were later adopted or popularized by men, often without proper credit.
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