premise

noun

A proposition antecedently supposed or proved; something previously stated or assumed as the basis of further argument; a condition; a supposition.

(logic) Any of the first propositions of a syllogism, from which the conclusion is deduced.

(authorship) The fundamental concept that drives the plot of a film or other story.

(usually in the plural, law) Matters previously stated or set forth; especially, that part in the beginning of a deed, the office of which is to express the grantor and grantee, and the land or thing granted or conveyed, and all that precedes the habendum; the thing demised or granted.

(usually in the plural) A piece of real estate; a building and its adjuncts.

verb

To state or assume something as a proposition to an argument.

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.

To send before the time, or beforehand; hence, to cause to be before something else; to employ previously.

Roots

praepre- · Latin · before, in front mitto-mis · Latin · send

Synonyms for premise

assumptionn presuppositionn supposaln suppositionn hypothesisn postulationn postulatev sumptionn assertionn propositionn positn presumptionn inferencen

Synonyms & related words for premise

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of premise — including assumption, presupposition, supposal, supposition, hypothesis, postulation. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to premise

Explore words related to premise — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include antilogism, suppositive, paralogism, paralogist, elenchus, sorites, notion, presupposed. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for premise

Common synonyms for premise include assumption, presupposition, supposal, supposition, hypothesis, postulation, postulate, sumption — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does premise come from?

The word premise breaks down into 2 roots of Latin origin: pre-, from Latin prae (“before, in front”); and -mis, from Latin mitto (“send”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.