lemma

C2+ Topic:Language & Linguistics

US /ˈlɛmə/ UK /ˈlɛmə/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a subsidiary proposition proved as a step toward a theorem; a headword

The proof relied on a lemma established in the previous chapter.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a subsidiary proposition... proposition theoremheadwordpremise

Word family

Derived forms lemmatizelemmatization

Related forms dilemmaanalemma

Etymology

From Ancient Greek lêmma (λῆμμα, 'something taken or assumed, a premise'), from lambanein ('to take, grasp').

λῆμμα Ancient Greek lambanein Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Language & Linguistics General Vocabulary

External links

# lemma

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈlɛmə/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈlɛmə/

## Meanings
1. a subsidiary proposition proved as a step toward a theorem; a headword

## Examples
- The proof relied on a lemma established in the previous chapter.

## Synonyms
- proposition
- theorem
- headword
- premise

## Derived Forms
- lemmatize
- lemmatization

## Related Forms
- dilemma
- analemma

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: λῆμμα
- Root: lambanein

## Etymology
From Ancient Greek lêmma (λῆμμα, 'something taken or assumed, a premise'), from lambanein ('to take, grasp').

## AI Etymology
Lemma is from Ancient Greek lêmma (λῆμμα, 'something taken or assumed, a premise'), from lambanein ('to take, grasp'). Important recorded forms include λῆμμα (Ancient Greek) and lambanein (Ancient Greek). The current sense covers a subsidiary proposition proved as a step toward a theorem; a headword. The wider family includes derived forms such as lemmatize and lemmatization and related words such as dilemma and analemma.

## Topics
- Language & Linguistics
- General Vocabulary

markdown