the.com/lemma
a small truth you prove just to win a bigger argument later.
means In mathematics and logic, a lemma is a minor proven proposition that isn't important on its own but serves as a stepping-stone toward proving a larger theorem; in linguistics, it's the dictionary headword form of a word.
from From Greek lēmma, "something taken or received," from the verb lambanein, "to take" — so a lemma is literally a thing you've grasped and now hold in hand. The same root branches into dilemma, a situation where you've "taken twice" and are caught between two options. The plural, fittingly, often keeps its Greek dress: lemmata.
- greek root
- means a thing taken or received
- famous one
- Zorn's lemma underpins half of modern algebra
- linguistics too
- the dictionary headword behind all its forms
- humble helper
- often outlives the theorem it was built for
- plural twist
- properly lemmata, though lemmas survives daily
lemma in mathematics — foundational propositions like the pumping lemma (1961) used to prove languages aren't regular
lemma in linguistics — the root form of a word, e.g., 'run' is the lemma for 'runs', 'running', 'ran'
lemma in botany — the lower bract of a grass floret, studied since linnaeus classified poaceae