premises

British  

/ ˈprɛmɪsɪz /

plural noun

1. a piece of land together with its buildings, esp considered as a place of business

2. law

   1. (in a deed, etc) the matters referred to previously; the aforesaid; the foregoing

   2. the introductory part of a grant, conveyance, etc

3. law (in the US) the part of a bill in equity that states the names of the parties, details of the plaintiff's claims, etc

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Explanation

The premises of a property consist of the land and buildings on it, usually of a business or organization. If there are no dogs allowed on the premises of a school, you'll have to leave your furry friend at home. A game of hide-and-go-seek where you can’t leave the house will go a lot faster than one that permits hiding anywhere on the premises, including outdoors. Premises has another, unrelated meaning — it can also be the assumption or hypothesis from which a conclusion is drawn. The English writer Samuel Butler said, “Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions from insufficient premises.” Meaning, much of life is about guesswork.

Example Sentences

Soon after, the Commander in Chief appeared, joined by White, strutting into the premises with a fighter-style entry walk.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026

The structure, which towers over the White House, was paid for by the UFC, which is scheduled to host a series of fights on the premises.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

Shake Shack still plans to open about eight licensed premises during the second quarter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

"Our premises were also damaged by Melissa because we were where the eye passed over. But we were able to get back up and running with orders going out within two weeks," Gray says.

From BBC • May 31, 2026

“Every year, the opossums and owls and such vacate the premises on Wishing Day. Strangest thing. It’s like they know what’s coming.”

From "Wishtree" by Katherine Applegate