premise
PREHM-ihs
Premise (noun) means a statement or idea assumed to be true and used as the basis for an argument or story. Example: “His whole argument rests on a shaky premise.”
noun
1
A statement or idea assumed to be true and used as the basis for an argument or story.
"His whole argument rests on a shaky premise."
"The film's premise is that memories can be bought and sold."
"The premise of the game is that you run a tiny farm."
verb
1
To base an argument or statement on a stated assumption.
"The plan is premised on steady economic growth."
"Her argument is premised on the idea that most people want change."
"The policy was premised on an assumption that nobody had checked."
How to use premise
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA starting assumption or idea that an argument, plan, or story is built on.
Common mistake
Don't confuse the singular "premise" (an assumption) with the plural "premises" (a building and its grounds) — they're historically related but used very differently today.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
basic premise
false premise
premise of the film
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Word forms
- Plural
- premises
- Third person singular
- premises
- Past tense
- premised
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
His whole argument rests on a shaky _____.
Etymology
From Old French premisse, from Medieval Latin premissa ("set before"), from Latin praemittere ("to send before"), from prae- ("before") plus mittere ("to send").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for premise
See all rhymes for premise →Frequently asked questions
What does “premise” mean?
The word “premise” means a statement or idea assumed to be true and used as the basis for an argument or story. In plain terms, a starting assumption or idea that an argument, plan, or story is built on.
How do you pronounce “premise”?
“Premise” is pronounced PREHM-ihs (/ˈpɹɛm.ɪs/ in IPA).
How do you use “premise” in a sentence?
Here is “premise” used in a sentence: “His whole argument rests on a shaky premise.”
What part of speech is “premise”?
Depending on how it is used, “premise” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “premise” come from?
The word “premise” comes from Medieval Latin. From Old French premisse, from Medieval Latin premissa ("set before"), from Latin praemittere ("to send before"), from prae- ("before") plus mittere ("to send").
Is “premise” a common word?
“Premise” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
How many meanings does “premise” have?
“Premise” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a statement or idea assumed to be true and used as the basis for an argument or story.
What is the difference between premise and premises?
Premise, singular, refers to a statement or assumption used as the basis for an argument or story. Premises, which is grammatically plural but refers to a single property, means a building and its land, such as business premises; the two words are unrelated in meaning despite looking similar.
How is premise used when talking about a story or film?
When applied to fiction, premise refers to the basic idea or assumption a story is built on, such as a world where time travel is possible. Reviewers and writers often discuss whether a film's premise is original or well executed.
What does it mean to premise an argument on something?
To premise an argument on something means to base it on a stated assumption, using that assumption as the starting point for the reasoning that follows. If the premise is false, the argument built on it may not hold up.
