lemma

4 definitions found

lemma - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Lemma \Lem"ma\ (l[e^]m"m[.a]), n.; pl. L. Lemmata
     (-m[.a]*t[.a]), E. Lemmas (-m[.a]z). [L. lemma, Gr. lh^mma
     anything received, an assumption or premise taken for
     granted, fr. lamba`nein to take, assume. Cf. Syllable.]
     1. (Math., Logic) A preliminary or auxiliary proposition
        demonstrated or accepted for immediate use in the
        demonstration of some other proposition, as in mathematics
        or logic.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A word that is included in a glossary or list of
        headwords; a headword.
        [PJC]

  main entry word \main entry word\ n.
     The form of a word that heads a lexical entry and is
     alphabetized in a dictionary; also called entry word,
     headword, and lemma.
  
     Syn: citation form, entry word, headword, lemma.
          [WordNet 1.5]
  
     Note: In different languages, different wordforms, such as
           cases for verbs, may be taken as the main entry word.
           In English dictionaries, it is the infinitive form, but
           in latin dictionaries it is usually the first person
           singular present.
           [PJC]

lemma - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  lemma
      n 1: a subsidiary proposition that is assumed to be true in
           order to prove another proposition
      2: the lower and stouter of the two glumes immediately enclosing
         the floret in most Gramineae [syn: lemma, flowering   glume
         ]
      3: the heading that indicates the subject of an annotation or a
         literary composition or a dictionary entry

lemma - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  lemma
  
     <logic> A result already proved, which is needed in the proof
     of some further result.
  
     (1995-03-25)