premise

American  

[prem-is] / ˈprɛm ɪs /

noun

1. Logic. Also premiss. a proposition supporting or helping to support a conclusion.

   Synonyms:

   postulate, assumption

2. premises,

   1. a tract of land including its buildings.

   2. a building together with its grounds or other appurtenances.

   3. the property forming the subject of a conveyance or bequest.

3. Law.

   1. a basis, stated or assumed, on which reasoning proceeds.

   2. an earlier statement in a document.

   3. (in a bill in equity) the statement of facts upon which the complaint is based.

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verb (used with object)

premises, present (3rd person singular) premised, past participle, past premising present participle

1. to set forth beforehand, as by way of introduction or explanation.

2. to assume, either explicitly or implicitly, (a proposition) as a premise for a conclusion.

   Synonyms:

   hypothesize, postulate

verb (used without object)

premises, present (3rd person singular) premised, past participle, past premising present participle

1. to state or assume a premise.

premise British  

noun

1. Also: premiss.  logic a statement that is assumed to be true for the purpose of an argument from which a conclusion is drawn

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verb

1. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to state or assume (a proposition) as a premise in an argument, theory, etc

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• repremise
  verb

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have premised
  perfect
• has premised
  perfect 3rd person singular
• is premising
  progressive 3rd person singular
• premises
  singular 3rd person
• have been premising
  perfect progressive
• has been premising
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• premising
  participle
• am premising
  progressive 1st person singular
• are premising
  progressive

Past

• had premised
  perfect
• were premising
  progressive plural
• was premising
  progressive singular
• premised
  participle
• had been premising
  perfect progressive
• premised
  simple

Future

• will premise
  simple
• will have premised
  perfect
• will be premising
  progressive
• will have been premising
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of premise

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English premiss, from Medieval Latin praemissa, noun use of feminine of Latin praemissus, past participle of praemittere “to send before,” equivalent to prae- “before, in front, ahead,” + mittere “to send”; see pre-

Explanation

A premise is what forms the basis of a theory or a plot. When you called 911 on the guy in your back yard, it was on the premise that he was a thief and not the meter-reader. In logic, the premise is the basic statement upon whose truth an argument is based. Criticize alternative theories by demonstrating their false premises. In a more general sense, it's a basic assertion. On the premise that people are generally good, you keep your doors unlocked. Premise is also used more loosely for the starting point for a plot. A movie's premise could be that two people trapped on a desert island will inevitably fall in love.

Example Sentences

The six-part series, written by Sophie Goodhart and co-starring Jemaine Clement, begins with a friendship-shattering premise.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

I asked Bores what he thought of it, and he said the premise was flawed, saying it’s the framing desired by the groups that want to sink his candidacy.

From Slate • Jun. 2, 2026

This lesser-known decision is the premise of “Pressure,” a new movie from filmmaker Anthony Maras.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

A story whose very premise ensures that little can happen poses a narrative challenge.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

The hidden premise of the lawyer’s argument is that if the audience watches the door, they believe it possible that the woman is alive.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

Related Words

• assertion
• assumption
• basis
• ground
• presumption
• proposition
• thesis