Predicate (noun)

1. A part of a sentence which specifies what the subject of a sentence is doing or what is happening to it.
2. The part of a proposition which is stated about the subject and constitutes its essential meaning.

Origin:

The word 'predicate' comes from the latin word 'praedicare' meaning to declare or assert.

Examples:

1. The predicate of the sentence 'The cat is sleeping on the couch' is 'is sleeping on the couch'.
2. The verb 'run' is the predicate in the sentence 'She runs fast'.
3. The predicate of a statement is what you want to make a claim about.
4. A predicate can also be thought of as the action in the sentence.
5. The predicate usually contains the verb of a sentence, and it modifies the subject.