Lemma
/ˈlɛm.ə/noun
A proposition, statement, or word used as a basis for further discussion or analysis.
Did you know?In classical Greek, a lemma was literally something “taken” or “received,” and in mathematics it became the accepted stepping-stone that lets a proof move forward.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
lēmma
“a thing taken or received; an assumption used as a basis”
Late Latin
Latin
lemma
“a proposition or heading; something taken up”
Medieval Latin
Latin
lemma
“a heading, topic, or auxiliary proposition”
16th Century
English
lemma
“a proposition serving as a premise or aid to a proof”
Modern English
English
lemma
“a subsidiary proposition, especially in logic, mathematics, and linguistics”