reductio

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   an argument that disproves a proposition by showing that it leads to an absurdity or contradiction; short for reductio ad absurdum

   Her reductio showed that the assumption would make every statement both true and false.

From Late Latin reductio, 'a leading back' or 'reduction,' from Latin reducere, 'to lead back,' built from re- + ducere, 'to lead.' English logical use comes chiefly from reductio ad absurdum, literally 'reduction to the absurd,' and reductio is also used independently as its shorthand.

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