premise
/prĕm′ĭs/
noun
- A proposition upon which an argument is based or from which a conclusion is drawn.
- One of the propositions in a deductive argument.
- Either the major or the minor proposition of a syllogism, from which the conclusion is drawn.
Cambridge Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english › premise
PREMISE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
PREMISE definition: 1. an idea or theory on which a statement or action is based: 2. to base a theory, argument, etc…. Learn more.
Merriam-Webster
merriam-webster.com › dictionary › premise
PREMISE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
2 weeks ago - The meaning of PREMISE is a proposition supposed or proved prior as a basis of argument or inference; specifically : either of the first two propositions of a syllogism from which the conclusion is drawn. How to use premise in a sentence.
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Premise
Premise - Wikipedia
February 7, 2026 - A premise or premiss is a proposition—a true or false declarative statement—used in an argument to prove the truth of another proposition called the conclusion. Arguments consist of a set of premises and a conclusion. An argument is meaningful for its conclusion only when all of its premises ...
What is meant by "premise"?
In logical argument, a premise is a statement or assumption on which an argument is based. For example, if a person looks at a green apple and says, "this apple is sour," the premises of this argument could be: 1) Green apples are sour. 2) This apple is green.
study.com
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Premise | Definition, Importance & Examples - Lesson | Study.com
What is a premise in an argument?
A premise is one of the ideas or concepts on which an argument is based. The following argument has two premises and one conclusion: 1) Premise: All elephants are big. 2) Premise: Joe is an elephant. 3) Conclusion: Joe is big.
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Premise | Definition, Importance & Examples - Lesson | Study.com
How can "premise" be used in a sentence?
The following sentence has two premises. One of these premises is explicit (stated) and the other is implicit (not stated). "Trees are beautiful things. We should plant trees." · The explicit premise is "trees are beautiful things." The implicit premises is "we should plant beautiful things." The conclusion is "we should plant trees."
study.com
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Premise | Definition, Importance & Examples - Lesson | Study.com
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Collins Dictionary
collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english › premise
PREMISE definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
2 meanings: (ˈprɛmɪs ��) 1. Also (Brit): premiss logic a statement that is assumed to be true for the purpose of an argument.... Click for more definitions.
Published 2 weeks ago
Vocabulary.com
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Premise - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com
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.
Dictionary.com
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PREMISE Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
PREMISE definition: Also premiss. a proposition supporting or helping to support a conclusion. See examples of premise used in a sentence.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/english › do i understand what "premise" means exactly?
r/ENGLISH on Reddit: Do I understand what "premise" means exactly?
October 19, 2024 -
As per the title, I wanted to double-check if I correctly understood what "premise" means.
From what I've gathered, a "premise" is a statement or idea that you assume is correct (even if there's no solid proof) to base your argument on.
So I could say "He based his argument on the premise that all the calculations will be perfectly accurate", and that would mean the foundation of his argument is based on the calculations being correct.
Basically, premise = a statement you assume is correct, and you build your argument on. If the "premise" for an argument is false, then the argument falls.
I'd appreciate it if anyone could confirm my understanding!
Edit: sorry for the other 2 duplicate posts!! I assume it was some sort of bug on mobile.
Edit2: explanation for the duplicate posts bug
Top answer 1 of 5
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Yup.
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You got the meaning exactly right. As another commenter said, "premises" can also refer to a building or a set of buildings (often used in legal texts). Also, a piece of entertainment like a book or a movie can have a premise: the basic idea that acts as the starting point and drives the plot. The premise of Harry Potter is that a young boy finds out he is a wizard and starts attending a magical school.
Study.com
study.com › english courses › humanities 201: critical thinking & analysis
Premise | Definition, Importance & Examples - Lesson | Study.com
July 13, 2024 - Syllogisms are an essential element of deductive reasoning, which is when logical conclusions are drawn from prior statements, rather than from observation. Premises can be explicit, meaning they are explicitly stated, or implicit meaning that they are left unsaid.
Encyclopedia Britannica
britannica.com › dictionary › premise
Premise Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary
[count] formal also British premiss : a statement or idea that is accepted as being true and that is used as the basis of an argument
Longman
ldoceonline.com › dictionary › premise
premise | meaning of premise in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English | LDOCE
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpremiseprem‧ise /ˈpremɪs/ ●●○ W3 noun 1 → premises2 [countable] (also premiss British English)IDEA a statement or idea that you accept as true and use as a base for developing other ideas The idea that there is life on other planets ...
Cambridge Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english › premises
PREMISES | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
5 days ago - PREMISES definition: 1. the land and buildings owned by someone, especially by a company or organization: 2. the land…. Learn more.
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries
oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english › premise
premise noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com
His reasoning is based on the premise that all people are equally capable of good and evil.
TheFreeDictionary.com
thefreedictionary.com › premise
Premise - definition of premise by The Free Dictionary
Define premise. premise synonyms, premise pronunciation, premise translation, English dictionary definition of premise. n. also prem·iss 1. A proposition upon which an argument is based or from which a conclusion is drawn.
Top answer 1 of 2
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Premise has subtly different meanings in philosophy (where you have a list of premises and a conclusion, for instance), and in everyday use, where you talk about the premise of a film or book. Actually one academic I know pronounces them differently - PREM-iss for the everyday use, and prem-IZE for the philosophy use.
The premise of a work is the underlying principle of it, the starting point, the thing that makes that book, film, play, or argument go.
The premise of a concept, like money, is a similar idea - what is the fundamental point and underlying assumption of the idea of money?
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Premise definition:
an idea or theory on which a statement or action is based.
Exemples:
The conclusions you have drawn are based on a false premise.
We should work on the premise that this plan will be successful.
Could you explain the basic premise of your argument?
The research project is based on the premise stated earlier.
About your question:
- What's the premise of money?
The meaning is close to the following:
- What is the principle of money ?
Cornell Law School
law.cornell.edu › lii › wex › premises
premises | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute
The word “premises” has two common meanings: (1) It is the plural of premise, which is a statement or proposition that serves as the basis for an argument, and from which a conclusion is drawn.
Wiktionary
en.wiktionary.org › wiki › premise
premise - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
To make a premise. To set forth beforehand, or as introductory to the main subject; to offer previously, as something to explain or aid in understanding what follows.
YourDictionary
yourdictionary.com › home › dictionary meanings › premise definition
Premise Definition & Meaning | YourDictionary
Premise definition: A proposition upon which an argument is based or from which a conclusion is drawn.
Wordsmyth
kids.wordsmyth.net › we
Definition of PREMISE
a statement that forms the basis of an argument and that is usually accepted. : (plural) a piece of land and the buildings on it.... See the full definition
Dictionary.com
dictionary.com › browse › premises
PREMISES Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
PREMISES definition: a piece of land together with its buildings, esp considered as a place of business See examples of premises used in a sentence.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/education › what does premise mean?
r/education on Reddit: What does premise mean?
April 20, 2020 -
I have a general understanding, I think, as to the definition of the word premise. Is it essentially just another way of saying assumption? For instance, "Sunset is the best time to go for a walk." It's obviously a statement, but is it also a premise?
Top answer 1 of 4
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Not really. A premise is a statement that you use to infer another argument. If you had have written, "If dusk has the most agreeable temperature to you; then it is the best time to go for a walk." The If statement would be the premise.
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Is it essentially just another way of saying assumption? Essentially, yes! Add "for the purpose of argument." Your example "sunset is the best time to go for a walk" all by itself is a proposition, an argument. You could base that argument on the premise that, for example, watching a sunset is enjoyable, or that walks are beneficial to one's health. If you voice an opinion and someone responds "why?" they're asking you to explain the premise of your argument. It's also sometimes used less formally to mean scenario. For example: "The premise of the 'Toy Story' movies is that all toys are secretly alive and want to be played with by children."