premise

A premise is an idea or statement that serves as the starting point for an argument, discussion, or story. It's often the main point or assumption that sets everything else in motion.

When we talk about a premise, we usually think of it as the foundation on which other ideas or conclusions are built. For example, if you're trying to convince someone to take your side in a debate, you might start with a premise like "The current education system is broken" and then use evidence and reasoning to build on that idea. In writing, authors often establish a premise at the beginning of their story, which gives readers an idea of what to expect from the plot.

In everyday conversations, we might not always label our ideas as premises, but they can still be thought of as starting points for our discussions or arguments. For instance, if you start a conversation by saying "I think it's ridiculous that...", your opinion on the matter is serving as a premise for the rest of the discussion.

As an adjective, "premised" refers to something that assumes or takes as true something else. For example: "The policy premised certain economic benefits on the new trade agreement."