Origin: Latin prefix pre-
Premise has 6 different meanings across 2 categories:
a statement that is assumed to be true and from which a conclusion can be drawn
"on the assumption that he has been injured we can infer that he will not play"
A proposition antecedently supposed or proved; something previously stated or assumed as the basis of further argument; a condition; a supposition.
"The lawyer challenged the validity of the prosecution's main premise, arguing that the initial evidence was unreliable."
In plain English: A premise is an idea that you accept as true so you can use it to prove something else later on.
"The premise for their new business is that people love buying fresh local produce directly from farmers."
Usage: Use "premise" when referring to the foundational assumption or statement that supports an argument, rather than using it for physical locations like buildings. This word is often confused with "presume," which means to suppose without proof; remember they are not interchangeable in any context.
set forth beforehand, often as an explanation
"He premised these remarks so that his readers might understand"
To state or assume something as a proposition to an argument.
"The lawyer began his case by stating that the contract was signed under duress, which served as the premise for all subsequent arguments."
In plain English: To premise something means to state it as an assumption before you start arguing about it.
"The argument is flawed because the author premises their conclusion on false information."
The English word premise comes from Latin praemittere, meaning "to set before," which originally referred to a proposition stated at the beginning of an argument. A later, unrelated meaning for real estate emerged when property owners mistakenly read this logical term in title deeds as referring to land itself.