Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

premise

/ˈpɹɛm.ɪs/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.82 in modern English

Syllables: premise
IPA: /ˈpɹɛm.ɪs/

11

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

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

noun

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

noun

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.

noun

A piece of real estate; a building and its adjuncts.

noun

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

verb

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

verb

To make a premise.

verb

To set forth beforehand, or as introductory to the main subject; to offer previously, as something to explain or aid in understanding what follows.

Example Sentences

"The premises observed, Thy will by my performance shall be served."
"While the premises stand firm, 'tis impossible to shake the conclusion."
"trespass on another’s premises"
"On the premises is a beautiful lawn, well stocked with flowering shrubs; hard and soft water."
"Nothing was too small to receive attention, if a supervising eye could suggest improvements likely to conduce to the common welfare. Mr. Gordon Burnage, for instance, personally visited dust-bins and back premises, accompanied by a sort of village bailiff, going his round like a commanding officer doing billets."
"In 1949, the simple premise of discovering ordinary people who have hidden, extraordinary talents came to prominence in the UK with Opportunity Knocks, which started out as a nationwide touring radio show, before moving onto TV in 1956."

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.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: *mey- (change), premise, premisse, premissa, praemitto

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈpɹɛm.ɪs/
British English: /ˈpɹɛm.ɪs/

Inflected Forms

premises (plural) premiss (alternative) præmise (alternative, archaic) præmiss (alternative, archaic) premises (present, singular) premising (participle, present) premised (participle, past) premised (past)

Derived Forms

counterpremise

Phrases

off-premise on-premise premise indicator major premise minor premise

Frequently Paired Words

mission conclusion

Synonyms

premiss assumption precede preface introduce

Rhymes With

semis

Questions

How do you pronounce premise?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈpɹɛm.ɪs/.
What does premise mean?: A proposition antecedently supposed or proved; something previously stated or assumed as the basis of further argument; a condition; a supposition.
Where does premise come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce premise

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “premise”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈpɹɛm.ɪs/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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