axiom

C2 Topic:Communication

US /ˈæk.si.əm/ UK /ˈak.sɪ.əm/ See IPA manual

Freq #58470

Meanings

1

noun
A statement accepted as obviously true without needing proof.

It is an axiom of good business that the customer should always be treated with respect.
2

noun
A basic principle taken as a starting point from which other truths are derived.

Geometry is built on a small set of axioms that no one tries to prove.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a statement accepted as... maxim postulate

2 noun · a basic principle taken as... postulate given

Word family

Forms axioms

Derived forms axiomatic axiomatical axiomaticallyaxiomatisationaxiomatiseaxiomatization axiomatizeaxiomicaxiomlessaxiomlike

Related forms conjecture corollary demonstration hypothesis law lemmaporismpostulate premise principle proof proposition

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

parallel axiom
the Euclidean principle that exactly one parallel to a line passes through a point outside it

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle French axiome in the 15th century, from Latin axiōma (“axiom; principle”), from Ancient Greek ἀξίωμα (axíōma, “that which is thought to fit, a requisite, that which a pupil is required to know beforehand, a self-evident principle”), from ἀξιόω (axióō, “to think fit or worthy, to require, to demand”), from ἄξιος (áxios, “fit, worthy”, literally “weighing as much as; of like value”), from ἄγω (ágō, “to weigh (down)”).

*h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European axiome Middle French axiōma Latin ἀξίωμα Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Communication Philosophy & Reasoning

External links

# axiom

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈæk.si.əm/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈak.sɪ.əm/
**Frequency rank:** 58470

## Meanings
1. A statement accepted as obviously true without needing proof.
2. A basic principle taken as a starting point from which other truths are derived.

## Examples
- It is an axiom of good business that the customer should always be treated with respect.
- Geometry is built on a small set of axioms that no one tries to prove.

## Derived Forms
- axiomatic
- axiomatical
- axiomatically
- axiomatisation
- axiomatise
- axiomatization
- axiomatize
- axiomic
- axiomless
- axiomlike

## Related Forms
- conjecture
- corollary
- demonstration
- hypothesis
- law
- lemma
- porism
- postulate
- premise
- principle
- proof
- proposition

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *h₂eǵ-
- Root: axiome
- Root: axiōma
- Root: ἀξίωμα

## Etymology
From Middle French axiome in the 15th century, from Latin axiōma (“axiom; principle”), from Ancient Greek ἀξίωμα (axíōma, “that which is thought to fit, a requisite, that which a pupil is required to know beforehand, a self-evident principle”), from ἀξιόω (axióō, “to think fit or worthy, to require, to demand”), from ἄξιος (áxios, “fit, worthy”, literally “weighing as much as; of like value”), from ἄγω (ágō, “to weigh (down)”).

## AI Etymology
Axiom is from Middle French axiome in the 15th century, from Latin axiōma (“axiom; principle”), from Ancient Greek ἀξίωμα (axíōma, “that which is thought to fit, a requisite, that which a pupil is required to know beforehand, a self-evident principle”), from ἀξιόω (axióō, “to think fit or worthy, to require, to demand”), from ἄξιος (áxios, “fit, worthy”, literally “weighing as much as; of like value”), from ἄγω (ágō, “to weigh (down)”). Important recorded forms include *h₂eǵ- (Proto-Indo-European), axiome (Middle French), axiōma (Latin), and ἀξίωμα (Ancient Greek). Current senses include a statement accepted as obviously true without needing proof and a basic principle taken as a starting point from which other truths are derived. The wider family includes derived forms such as axiomatic, axiomatical, axiomatically, axiomatisation, and axiomatise and related words such as conjecture, corollary, demonstration, hypothesis, and law.

## Topics
- Communication
- Philosophy & Reasoning

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