premise

[prem-is]

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.

verb (used with object)

premised, premising 

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)

premised, premising 

1. to state or assume a premise.

premise

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

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

• repremise verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of premise¹

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”; pre-

Word History and Origins

Origin of premise¹

C14: from Old French prémisse, from Medieval Latin praemissa sent on before, from Latin praemittere to dispatch in advance, from prae before + mittere to send

Example Sentences

But he acted out that premise at scale with impressive velocity and single-minded genius, attracting millions of dollars in backing and legions of followers.

From Salon

Supporters of Measure ULA pushed back aggressively on that premise, saying other economic factors are to blame for the slowdown in apartment construction.

From Los Angeles Times

They, and their two daughters, co-own the flat, which was bought in 2006, as well as the haulage company's former business premises.

From BBC

Not only were the topics groundbreaking, but so was the very premise.

From Los Angeles Times

One man testified that workers were not allowed to leave the heavily guarded factory premises, even to buy food, which he described as dirty and unsuitable for human beings.

From BBC

Related Words

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