lemma

1
[ lem-uh ]
See synonyms for lemma on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural lem·mas, lem·ma·ta [lem-uh-tuh]. /ˈlɛm ə tə/.
  1. a subsidiary proposition introduced in proving some other proposition; a helping theorem.

  2. an argument, theme, or subject, especially when indicated in a heading.

  1. a word or phrase that is glossed; headword.

Origin of lemma

1
1560–70; <Latin: theme, title, epigram <Greek lêmma something received, premise, akin to lambánein to take, receive, take for granted

Words Nearby lemma

Other definitions for lemma (2 of 2)

lemma2
[ lem-uh ]

noun,plural lem·mas.Botany.
  1. a bract in a grass spikelet just below the pistil and stamens.

Origin of lemma

2
1745–55; <Greek lémma shell, husk, akin to lépein to peel

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use lemma in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lemma (1 of 2)

lemma1

/ (ˈlɛmə) /


nounplural -mas or -mata (-mətə)
  1. a subsidiary proposition, proved for use in the proof of another proposition

  2. linguistics a word considered as its citation form together with all the inflected forms. For example, the lemma go consists of go together with goes, going, went, and gone

  1. an argument or theme, esp when used as the subject or title of a composition

Origin of lemma

1
C16 (meaning: proposition), C17 (meaning: title, theme): via Latin from Greek: premise, from lambanein to take (for granted)

British Dictionary definitions for lemma (2 of 2)

lemma2

/ (ˈlɛmə) /


nounplural -mas or -mata (-mətə)
  1. the outer of two bracts surrounding each floret in a grass spikelet: Compare palea

Origin of lemma

2
C19: from Greek: rind, from lepein to peel

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for lemma

lemma

[ lĕmə ]


Plural lemmas lemmata (lĕmə-tə)
  1. The outer or lower of the two bracts enclosing one of the flowers within a grass spikelet.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.