pons asinorum

American  

[as-uh-nawr-uhm, -nohr-] / ˌæs əˈnɔr əm, -ˈnoʊr- /

noun

Geometry.

1. a geometric proposition that if a triangle has two of its sides equal, the angles opposite these sides are also equal: so named from the difficulty experienced by beginners in mastering it. Euclid, 1:5.

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pons asinorum British  

/ ˌæsɪˈnɔːrəm /

noun

1. the geometric proposition that the angles opposite the two equal sides of an isosceles triangle are equal

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Etymology

Origin of pons asinorum

First recorded in 1745–55; from Latin pōns asinōrum “bridge of asses”

Example Sentences

The pons asinorum is free to all comers and even the eternal triangle's points are true for either hemisphere.

From Time Magazine Archive

A month or two ago you blundered on "pons asinorum."

From Time Magazine Archive

In twenty minutes' time, the donkey was climbing up a long flight of stairs to Caper's studio, as seriously as if he were crossing the pons asinorum.

From The Continental Monthly, Vol. 1, No. 5, May, 1862 Devoted To Literature And National Policy by Various

Who knows but what I may die a glorious death under the pons asinorum after all?

From The Letters of Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1 of 2) by Kenyon, Frederic G. (Frederic George), Sir

Roger Bacon speaks of Euclid's fifth proposition as "elefuga," and it also gets the name of "pons asinorum" from its point of transition to higher learning.

From Creative Intelligence Essays in the Pragmatic Attitude by Bode, Boyd H.