premise

C1 Topic:Communication

Also spelled premiss

US /ˈpɹem.ɪs/ UK /ˈpɹɛm.ɪs/ See IPA manual

Freq #19655

Meanings

1

noun
A statement or idea that is accepted as true and used as the basis for an argument.

The whole plan rests on the premise that prices will keep rising.
2

noun
A building and the land it stands on, used by a business or organization.

Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the premises.
3

verb
To base an argument or theory on a particular idea.

Her theory is premised on the idea that people act rationally.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a statement or idea that is... assumption

Word family

Forms premisedpremisingpremisses

Derived forms counterpremiseoff-premiseon-premise

Related forms mission

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

major premise
the premise of a syllogism that contains the term used as the conclusion's predicate

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English premise, premisse, from Old French premisse, from Medieval Latin premissa (“set before”) (premissa propositio (“the proposition set before”)), feminine past participle of Latin praemittere (“to send or put before”), from prae- (“before”) + mittere (“to send”). Sense 4, a piece of real estate arose from the misinterpretation of the word by property owners while reading title deeds where the word was used with the legal sense.

*mey- (change) Proto-Indo-European premise Middle English premisse Old French premissa la-med praemitto Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Communication Philosophy & Reasoning

External links

# premise

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈpɹem.ɪs/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈpɹɛm.ɪs/
**Frequency rank:** 19655

## Meanings
1. A statement or idea that is accepted as true and used as the basis for an argument.
2. A building and the land it stands on, used by a business or organization.
3. To base an argument or theory on a particular idea.

## Examples
- The whole plan rests on the premise that prices will keep rising.
- Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the premises.
- Her theory is premised on the idea that people act rationally.

## Derived Forms
- counterpremise
- off-premise
- on-premise

## Related Forms
- mission

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *mey- (change)
- Root: premise
- Root: premisse
- Root: premissa
- Root: praemitto

## Etymology
From Middle English premise, premisse, from Old French premisse, from Medieval Latin premissa (“set before”) (premissa propositio (“the proposition set before”)), feminine past participle of Latin praemittere (“to send or put before”), from prae- (“before”) + mittere (“to send”). Sense 4, a piece of real estate arose from the misinterpretation of the word by property owners while reading title deeds where the word was used with the legal sense.

## AI Etymology
Premise is from Middle English premise, premisse, from Old French premisse, from Medieval Latin premissa (“set before”) (premissa propositio (“the proposition set before”)), feminine past participle of Latin praemittere (“to send or put before”), from prae- (“before”) + mittere (“to send”). Sense 4, a piece of real estate arose from the misinterpretation of the word by property owners while reading title deeds where the word was used with the legal sense. In present-day use, it can mean a statement or idea that is accepted as true and used as the basis for an argument, or a building and the land it stands on, used by a business or organization. Related forms include mission. Derived formations include counterpremise, off-premise, on-premise.

## Topics
- Communication
- Philosophy & Reasoning

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