What does premiss mean?
A premiss is a statement assumed to be true so that an argument or conclusion can be built upon it. For example, the claim that regular exercise improves concentration may serve as a premiss for a discussion about study habits. In deductive logic, the term refers to one of the propositions from which a conclusion is inferred. A valid argument depends on the logical relationship between its premisses and conclusion, while the soundness of the argument also depends on the truth of those premisses. Outside specialised writing, premise is much more common than premiss, and dictionaries often treat premiss as a less usual form of the same word. Its importance lies in exposing the foundation of an argument: once that foundation is questioned, conclusions resting upon it may also lose their support.
nounA statement taken as true and used as the basis for an argument, reasoning, or conclusion.
- A statement regarded as true and used as a foundation for further reasoning or argument.
- In formal logic, one of the propositions from which a conclusion is inferred.
"The argument depends on the premiss that everyone has equal access to education."
"The researcher challenged the premiss underlying the study's conclusions."
"If the initial premiss is sound, the deductive argument will be valid."
The plural usually refers to the two or more statements from which a logical conclusion is inferred.
"The argument has two premisses, but neither supports its final conclusion."
Premiss is the rarer twin of premise: the claim you put forward so that everything else can follow.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does premiss come from?
Premiss comes through English from Latin praemissum, a form of praemittere meaning “to send before.” The Latin verb combined prae-, meaning “before,” with mittere, meaning “send.” Premise developed from the same Latin source and became the standard modern English form, while premiss remained in formal and logical use.
How premiss is actually used
Premiss is more common in formal, technical, and especially logical contexts than in everyday English. In general usage, premise is normally preferred.
Easily confused with premiss
Premiss is the less common spelling of premise, especially in formal and logical usage.