lemma

(linguistics) lemma (the canonical form of an inflected word)

lemma (nominative singular)
lemmata (nominative plural)
lemmatu (genitive singular)
lemmat (genitive plural)
lemmatu (dative singular)
lemmatům (dative plural)
lemma (accusative singular)
lemmata (accusative plural)
lemma (singular vocative)
lemmata (plural vocative)
lemmatu (locative singular)
lemmatech (locative plural)
lemmatem (instrumental singular)
lemmaty (instrumental plural)

Ultimately from Ancient Greek λῆμμα (lêmma, “premise, assumption”), from λαμβάνω (lambánō, “I take”).


lemma

(mathematics) lemma (proved or accepted proposition used in a proof)

(linguistics) lemma (the canonical form of an inflected word, dictionary form)

nl-noun

lemma n (plural lemma's or lemmata, diminutive lemmaatje n)

lemma's (plural)
lemmata (plural)
lemmaatje (diminutive neuter)

From Latin lemma, from Ancient Greek λῆμμα (lêmma, “premise, assumption”), from λαμβάνω (lambánō, “I take”).


lemma

"We finally did it, but we found the proof very, very hard," [Dr. Conway] said. "I remember my wife and I spending one entire afternoon just working on some tiny little lemmas involved in the proof."

1988 August 30, Malcolm W. Browne, “Intellectual Duel: Brash Challenge, Swift Response”, in The New York Times:

(mathematics) A proposition proved or accepted for immediate use in the proof of some other proposition.

(in phrases, by extension) A proposition originally used for such a purpose, but having later acquired a greater, independent, importance; a fundamental (often pithy) and widely-used result.

Holonym: lexeme (holonymous sense)

For the second sense, where "word" means "item that should have its own dictionary entry," lexicographers sometimes use the term "lemma," but that has other meanings too, so among linguists the term lexeme is now standard, and I'll use it. For the different forms or shapes that belong to a lexeme we can use the term word-form.

2024, Geoffrey K. Pullum, The Truth About English Grammar, Polity Press, →ISBN, page 17:

For quotations using this term, see Citations:lemma.

(linguistics, lexicography) The canonical form of an inflected word; i.e., the form usually found as the headword in a dictionary, such as the nominative singular of a noun, the bare infinitive of a verb, etc.

Coordinate term: lexeme

en:theoretical abstract conceptual form of a word

(psycholinguistics) The theoretical abstract conceptual form of a word, representing a specific meaning, before the creation of a specific phonological form as the sounds of a lexeme, which may find representation in a specific written form as a dictionary or lexicographic word.

non-lemma

linguistics, lexicography: canonical form of a word

تَمْهِيدِيَّة

mathematics: proposition used mainly in the proof of some other proposition

From Ancient Greek λῆμμα (lêmma, “premise, assumption”), from the same root as λαμβάνω (lambánō, “I take”).


lemma

(botany) The outer shell of a fruit or similar body.

(botany) One of the specialized bracts around the floret in grasses.

niðara blómuøgn

botany: one of the specialized bracts around the floret in grasses

From the Ancient Greek λέμμα (lémma), from λέπω (lépō, “I peel”).


lemma

lemma (nominative singular)
lemmat (nominative plural)
lemma (accusative nominative singular)
lemmat (accusative nominative plural)
lemman (accusative genitive singular)
lemmat (accusative genitive plural)
lemman (genitive singular)
lemmojen (genitive plural)
lemmain (genitive plural rare)
lemmaa (partitive singular)
lemmoja (partitive plural)
lemmassa (inessive singular)
lemmoissa (inessive plural)
lemmasta (elative singular)
lemmoista (elative plural)
lemmaan (illative singular)
lemmoihin (illative plural)
lemmalla (adessive singular)
lemmoilla (adessive plural)
lemmalta (ablative singular)
lemmoilta (ablative plural)
lemmalle (allative singular)
lemmoille (allative plural)
lemmana (essive singular)
lemmoina (essive plural)
lemmaksi (singular translative)
lemmoiksi (plural translative)
lemmatta (abessive singular)
lemmoitta (abessive plural)
lemmoin (instructive plural)
See the possessive forms below. (comitative)
lemmani (nominative singular)
lemmani (nominative plural)
lemmani (accusative nominative singular)
lemmani (accusative nominative plural)
lemmani (accusative genitive singular)
lemmani (accusative genitive plural)
lemmani (genitive singular)
lemmojeni (genitive plural)
lemmaini (genitive plural rare)
lemmaani (partitive singular)
lemmojani (partitive plural)
lemmassani (inessive singular)
lemmoissani (inessive plural)
lemmastani (elative singular)
lemmoistani (elative plural)
lemmaani (illative singular)
lemmoihini (illative plural)
lemmallani (adessive singular)
lemmoillani (adessive plural)
lemmaltani (ablative singular)
lemmoiltani (ablative plural)
lemmalleni (allative singular)
lemmoilleni (allative plural)
lemmanani (essive singular)
lemmoinani (essive plural)
lemmakseni (singular translative)
lemmoikseni (plural translative)
lemmattani (abessive singular)
lemmoittani (abessive plural)
lemmoineni (comitative plural)
lemmasi (nominative singular)
lemmasi (nominative plural)
lemmasi (accusative nominative singular)
lemmasi (accusative nominative plural)
lemmasi (accusative genitive singular)
lemmasi (accusative genitive plural)
lemmasi (genitive singular)
lemmojesi (genitive plural)
lemmaisi (genitive plural rare)
lemmaasi (partitive singular)
lemmojasi (partitive plural)
lemmassasi (inessive singular)
lemmoissasi (inessive plural)
lemmastasi (elative singular)
lemmoistasi (elative plural)
lemmaasi (illative singular)
lemmoihisi (illative plural)
lemmallasi (adessive singular)
lemmoillasi (adessive plural)
lemmaltasi (ablative singular)
lemmoiltasi (ablative plural)
lemmallesi (allative singular)
lemmoillesi (allative plural)
lemmanasi (essive singular)
lemmoinasi (essive plural)
lemmaksesi (singular translative)
lemmoiksesi (plural translative)
lemmattasi (abessive singular)
lemmoittasi (abessive plural)
lemmoinesi (comitative plural)
lemmamme (nominative singular)
lemmamme (nominative plural)
lemmamme (accusative nominative singular)
lemmamme (accusative nominative plural)
lemmamme (accusative genitive singular)
lemmamme (accusative genitive plural)
lemmamme (genitive singular)
lemmojemme (genitive plural)
lemmaimme (genitive plural rare)
lemmaamme (partitive singular)
lemmojamme (partitive plural)
lemmassamme (inessive singular)
lemmoissamme (inessive plural)
lemmastamme (elative singular)
lemmoistamme (elative plural)
lemmaamme (illative singular)
lemmoihimme (illative plural)
lemmallamme (adessive singular)
lemmoillamme (adessive plural)
lemmaltamme (ablative singular)
lemmoiltamme (ablative plural)
lemmallemme (allative singular)
lemmoillemme (allative plural)
lemmanamme (essive singular)
lemmoinamme (essive plural)
lemmaksemme (singular translative)
lemmoiksemme (plural translative)
lemmattamme (abessive singular)
lemmoittamme (abessive plural)
lemmoinemme (comitative plural)
lemmanne (nominative singular)
lemmanne (nominative plural)
lemmanne (accusative nominative singular)
lemmanne (accusative nominative plural)
lemmanne (accusative genitive singular)
lemmanne (accusative genitive plural)
lemmanne (genitive singular)
lemmojenne (genitive plural)
lemmainne (genitive plural rare)
lemmaanne (partitive singular)
lemmojanne (partitive plural)
lemmassanne (inessive singular)
lemmoissanne (inessive plural)
lemmastanne (elative singular)
lemmoistanne (elative plural)
lemmaanne (illative singular)
lemmoihinne (illative plural)
lemmallanne (adessive singular)
lemmoillanne (adessive plural)
lemmaltanne (ablative singular)
lemmoiltanne (ablative plural)
lemmallenne (allative singular)
lemmoillenne (allative plural)
lemmananne (essive singular)
lemmoinanne (essive plural)
lemmaksenne (singular translative)
lemmoiksenne (plural translative)
lemmattanne (abessive singular)
lemmoittanne (abessive plural)
lemmoinenne (comitative plural)
lemmansa (nominative singular)
lemmansa (nominative plural)
lemmansa (accusative nominative singular)
lemmansa (accusative nominative plural)
lemmansa (accusative genitive singular)
lemmansa (accusative genitive plural)
lemmansa (genitive singular)
lemmojensa (genitive plural)
lemmainsa (genitive plural rare)
lemmaansa (partitive singular)
lemmojaan (partitive plural)
lemmojansa (partitive plural)
lemmassaan (inessive singular)
lemmassansa (inessive singular)
lemmoissaan (inessive plural)
lemmoissansa (inessive plural)
lemmastaan (elative singular)
lemmastansa (elative singular)
lemmoistaan (elative plural)
lemmoistansa (elative plural)
lemmaansa (illative singular)
lemmoihinsa (illative plural)
lemmallaan (adessive singular)
lemmallansa (adessive singular)
lemmoillaan (adessive plural)
lemmoillansa (adessive plural)
lemmaltaan (ablative singular)
lemmaltansa (ablative singular)
lemmoiltaan (ablative plural)
lemmoiltansa (ablative plural)
lemmalleen (allative singular)
lemmallensa (allative singular)
lemmoilleen (allative plural)
lemmoillensa (allative plural)
lemmanaan (essive singular)
lemmanansa (essive singular)
lemmoinaan (essive plural)
lemmoinansa (essive plural)
lemmakseen (singular translative)
lemmaksensa (singular translative)
lemmoikseen (plural translative)
lemmoiksensa (plural translative)
lemmattaan (abessive singular)
lemmattansa (abessive singular)
lemmoittaan (abessive plural)
lemmoittansa (abessive plural)
lemmoineen (comitative plural)
lemmoinensa (comitative plural)

From Ancient Greek λῆμμα (lêmma, “premise, assumption”), from λαμβάνω (lambánō, “I take”).


lemma

(mathematics, linguistics, lexicography) lemma

lemmák (plural)
lemma (nominative singular)
lemmák (nominative plural)
lemmát (accusative singular)
lemmákat (accusative plural)
lemmának (dative singular)
lemmáknak (dative plural)
lemmával (instrumental singular)
lemmákkal (instrumental plural)
lemmáért (causal-final singular)
lemmákért (causal-final plural)
lemmává (singular translative)
lemmákká (plural translative)
lemmáig (singular terminative)
lemmákig (plural terminative)
lemmaként (essive-formal singular)
lemmákként (essive-formal plural)
lemmában (inessive singular)
lemmákban (inessive plural)
lemmán (singular superessive)
lemmákon (plural superessive)
lemmánál (adessive singular)
lemmáknál (adessive plural)
lemmába (illative singular)
lemmákba (illative plural)
lemmára (singular sublative)
lemmákra (plural sublative)
lemmához (allative singular)
lemmákhoz (allative plural)
lemmából (elative singular)
lemmákból (elative plural)
lemmáról (delative singular)
lemmákról (delative plural)
lemmától (ablative singular)
lemmáktól (ablative plural)
lemmáé (possessed-single possessive predicative singular)
lemmáké (plural possessed-single possessive predicative)
lemmáéi (possessed-single possessive predicative singular)
lemmákéi (plural possessed-single possessive predicative)
lemmám (first-person possessed-single possessive singular)
lemmáim (first-person possessed-many possessive singular)
lemmád (possessed-single possessive second-person singular)
lemmáid (possessed-many possessive second-person singular)
lemmája (possessed-single possessive singular third-person)
lemmái (possessed-many possessive singular third-person)
lemmánk (first-person plural possessed-single possessive)
lemmáink (first-person plural possessed-many possessive)
lemmátok (plural possessed-single possessive second-person)
lemmáitok (plural possessed-many possessive second-person)
lemmájuk (plural possessed-single possessive third-person)
lemmáik (plural possessed-many possessive third-person)

From English lemma and German Lemma, from Ancient Greek λῆμμα (lêmma, “premise, assumption”), from λαμβάνω (lambánō, “I take”).


lemma

(literally) A subject for consideration or explanation, a theme, matter, subject, contents.

transferred senses
transferred sense#English

the title of an epigram (because it indicates the subject)

(transferred senses):
the epigram itself

(transferred senses):
the assumption or lemma of a syllogism

la-noun

lēmma n (genitive lēmmatis); third declension

lēmma (canonical neuter)
lēmmatis (genitive)
lēmma (nominative singular)
lēmmata (nominative plural)
lēmmatis (genitive singular)
lēmmatum (genitive plural)
lēmmatī (dative singular)
lēmmatibus (dative plural)
lēmma (accusative singular)
lēmmata (accusative plural)
lēmmate (ablative singular)
lēmmatibus (ablative plural)
lēmma (singular vocative)
lēmmata (plural vocative)

Catalan: lema

Dutch: lemma

English: lemma

French: lemme

German: Lemma

Italian: lemma

Spanish: lema


lemma

lemma f (genitive lemmae); first declension

lemmae (genitive)
lemma (nominative singular)
lemmae (nominative plural)
lemmae (genitive singular)
lemmārum (genitive plural)
lemmae (dative singular)
lemmīs (dative plural)
lemmam (accusative singular)
lemmās (accusative plural)
lemmā (ablative singular)
lemmīs (ablative plural)
lemma (singular vocative)
lemmae (plural vocative)


lemma

lemma (nominative singular)
lemmy (nominative plural)
lemmy (genitive singular)
lemm (genitive plural)
lemmie (dative singular)
lemmom (dative plural)
lemmę (accusative singular)
lemmy (accusative plural)
lemmą (instrumental singular)
lemmami (instrumental plural)
lemmie (locative singular)
lemmach (locative plural)
lemmo (singular vocative)
lemmy (plural vocative)

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek λῆμμα (lêmma, “premise, assumption”), from λαμβάνω (lambánō, “I take”).


lemma

lemma (the canonical form of an inflected word, a headword in a dictionary)

lemma (indefinite nominative singular)
lemmas (genitive indefinite singular)
lemmat (definite nominative singular)
lemmats (definite genitive singular)
lemman (indefinite nominative plural)
lemmans (genitive indefinite plural)
lemmana (definite nominative plural)
lemmanas (definite genitive plural)