Word
lemma
Phoneticslem·ma
US/ˈɫɛmə/
UK/lˈɛmɐ/
Definition
n. a word in its most basic form, or the name of a plant's seed. In math, it is a small statement that helps prove a bigger one.
n. the canonical form of a word, serving as the head of a lexical entry; in botany, the seed of a leguminous plant. In mathematics, a proven statement used as an intermediate step in a larger proof.
Examples
“The lemma for the word 'running' is 'run'.”
“The botanist identified the plant by its distinctive lemma and palea structures in the seed head.”
“While the lemma itself may seem trivial, its application in the final proof provides the necessary logical bridge to establish the theorem's validity.”
Examples
simple
“The lemma for the word 'running' is 'run'.”
contextual
“The botanist identified the plant by its distinctive lemma and palea structures in the seed head.”
complex
“While the lemma itself may seem trivial, its application in the final proof provides the necessary logical bridge to establish the theorem's validity.”
Etymology
From Ancient Greek λῆμμα (lêmma, “premise, assumption”), from the same root as λαμβάνω (lambánō, “to take”).
From the Ancient Greek λέμμα (lémma), from λέπω (lépō, “to peel”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/lemma