lemma

¹ American  

[lem-uh] / ˈlɛm ə /

noun

lemmas, plural lemmata plural

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.

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

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lemma ² American  

[lem-uh] / ˈlɛm ə /

noun

Botany.

lemmas plural

1. a bract in a grass spikelet just below the pistil and stamens.

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lemma ¹ British  

/ ˈlɛmə /

noun

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

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

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lemma ² British  

/ ˈlɛmə /

noun

1. the outer of two bracts surrounding each floret in a grass spikelet Compare palea

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lemma Scientific  

/ lĕm′ə /

lemmas plural

1. The outer or lower of the two bracts enclosing one of the flowers within a grass spikelet.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• lemmas
  plural
• lemmata
  plural

Etymology

Origin of lemma¹

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

Origin of lemma²

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

Example Sentences

Tola, a world champion in 2022, only entered the marathon two weeks ago after an injury to his Ethiopian team-mate Sisay Lemma.

From BBC • Aug. 10, 2024

“This was a shootout that was going back and forth,” Lemma said.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 29, 2024

While Lemma studied, Zegeye dedicated herself to learning English and acquiring job skills through a state Department of Social and Health Services program.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 14, 2023

On Sunday he will line up against the legendary Bekele along with Gabriel Geay and Sisay Lemma, who will also compete around the two hours and three minutes mark.

From BBC • Dec. 1, 2023

Here, then, is an a posteriori reason, derived from the whole subsequent life and death of the miracle-worker, for diminishing the value of x according to the Lemma.

From Theological Essays and Other Papers — Volume 1 by De Quincey, Thomas

Related Words

• assumption
• axiom
• conclusion
• conjecture
• explanation
• guess
• inference
• interpretation
• premise
• proposition
• rationale
• supposition
• theorem
• thesis