presumption

noun

pre·​sump·​tion pri-ˈzəm(p)-shən How to pronounce presumption (audio)
1
: presumptuous attitude or conduct : audacity
2
a
: an attitude or belief dictated by probability : assumption
b
: the ground, reason, or evidence lending probability to a belief
3
: a legal inference as to the existence or truth of a fact not certainly known that is drawn from the known or proved existence of some other fact

Examples of presumption in a Sentence

The trial was unfair from the beginning because there was no presumption of innocence. a defendant's right to a presumption of innocence
Recent Examples on the Web In July, a Tennessee judge ruled that the Small Business Administration 8(a) Business Development program’s use of the racial presumption of disadvantage was unconstitutional, forcing the agency to overhaul its program. Julian Mark, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 What changed in the years since the beginning of the #MeToo movement is the presumption that strong enough discursive pushback might indeed lead to actual banishment. Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024 These presumptions make Russia vulnerable to fluctuations in oil prices as well as Western countries’ efforts to restrict Moscow’s exports. Alexandra Prokopenko, Foreign Affairs, 8 Jan. 2024 When my parents came to the US, there was no presumption that the government would take care of them. Rafael Perez, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 The majority reverses the presumption — judging the embryos protected in the absence of a legislative act to exclude them — as a more sensible reading of the text. The Editors, National Review, 23 Feb. 2024 Rather, the presumption from the beginning was that many fans would arrive by public bus, shuttle buses from remote parking locations, ride share services, bicycles and on foot, according to a 64-page traffic study dated last May. Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 22 Feb. 2024 Such a presumption is tailor-made for a catastrophic miscalculation of Russia and China, who have their own fear of humiliation reset in the last three-plus years. Richard Vatz, Baltimore Sun, 7 Feb. 2024 Some of our current moral conceptions and presumptions may come to seem just as confused. Nikhil Krishnan, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'presumption.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English presumpcioun, from Anglo-French presumption, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin praesumption-, praesumptio presumptuous attitude, from Latin, assumption, from praesumere

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of presumption was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near presumption

Cite this Entry

“Presumption.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/presumption. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

presumption

noun
pre·​sump·​tion pri-ˈzəm(p)-shən How to pronounce presumption (audio)
1
: presumptuous attitude or behavior
2
a
: strong reason for believing something to be so in spite of lack of proof
b
: something believed but not proved

Legal Definition

presumption

noun
pre·​sump·​tion pri-ˈzəmp-shən How to pronounce presumption (audio)
: an inference as to the existence of a fact not certainly known that the law requires to be drawn from the known or proven existence of some other fact
conclusive presumption
: a presumption that the law does not allow to be rebutted

called also irrebuttable presumption

compare rebuttable presumption in this entry
mandatory presumption
: a presumption that a jury is required by law to make upon proof of a given fact compare permissive presumption in this entry
permissive presumption
: an inference or presumption that a jury is allowed but not required to make from a given set of facts

called also permissive inference

compare mandatory presumption in this entry
presumption of fact
: a presumption founded on a previous experience or on general knowledge of a connection between a known fact and one inferred from it
presumption of innocence
: a rebuttable presumption in the favor of the defendant in a criminal action imposing on the prosecution the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt
presumption of intent
: a permissive presumption that if a criminal defendant committed an act it was his or her intent to commit it
presumption of law
: a presumption (as of the innocence of a criminal defendant) founded on a rule or policy of law regardless of fact
presumption of survivorship
: the presumption in the absence of direct evidence that of two or more persons dying in a common disaster (as a fire) one was the last to die because of youth, strength, or other reasons rendering survivorship likely
rebuttable presumption
: a presumption that may be rebutted by evidence to the contrary compare conclusive presumption in this entry

More from Merriam-Webster on presumption

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