What does premising mean?
Premising is the present participle of “premise” and means putting forward a statement, assumption, or condition as the foundation for an argument or discussion. It has a formal, intellectual register and is especially common in philosophy, logic, criticism, and academic prose. A writer may premise a proposition that is then used to support a conclusion, or may describe an argument as depending on a particular assumption. Although “premise” is also a familiar noun meaning an assumption or a statement on which a conclusion rests, “premising” focuses on the act of presenting that foundation in the first place. The word is not generally used as an independent vocabulary item; instead, it usually appears in phrases such as “by premising that” or in a construction such as “the act of premising a distinction.” Its specialized character makes it particularly useful when discussing argumentative structure, the assumptions behind a conclusion, and the framing of theoretical discussion.
verbPremising means putting forward a statement, assumption, or condition as the basis of an argument, discussion, or conclusion. It is the present participle of the verb “premise” and is chiefly used in formal or philosophical writing.
- To put forward a statement, assumption, or condition as the basis of an argument, discussion, or conclusion.
"The argument succeeds only by premising that all participants act rationally."
"By premising that the categories are fixed, the philosopher arrives at a deterministic conclusion."
"The seminar begins by premising the need for a shared definition of fairness."
Premising is how arguments begin: before reaching a conclusion, someone lays down the assumption on which the reasoning rests.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does premising come from?
The word belongs to a family derived from Latin praemittere, meaning “to send before,” with the related participle praemissus meaning “put forward.” The noun “premise” came into English through Old French from Medieval Latin praemissa, a term for a proposition put forward. The form “premising” was formed within English by adding the present-participle suffix “-ing” to the verb “premise.” Related English words include “promise,” “permission,” “mission,” and “admission,” which descend from the same Latin root.
How premising is actually used
This form is relatively uncommon outside academic, philosophical, and logical prose. It is normally used with an explicit object or in an -ing clause, as in “premising a false assumption.”
Easily confused with premising
“Premise” is the standard dictionary headword; “premising” is its present participle, used especially when referring to the act of stating an assumption or basis for an argument.
“Promising” means showing signs of future achievement or giving hope, whereas “premising” means putting forward a premise.