premise

[ prem-is ]

noun

1. Also premiss. Logic. 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)

, prem·ised, prem·is·ing.

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)

, prem·ised, prem·is·ing.

1. to state or assume a premise.

premise

noun

1. Alsopremiss 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 Words From

• re·premise verb repremised repremising

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

Related Words

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