[ak-see-uh
m] 
| 1. | a self-evident truth that requires no proof. |
| 2. | a universally accepted principle or rule. |
| 3. | Logic, Mathematics. a proposition that is assumed without proof for the sake of studying the consequences that follow from it. |
| ax·i·om (āk'sē-əm) n.
[Middle English, from Old French axiome, from Latin axiōma, axiōmat-, from Greek, from axios, worthy; see ag- in Indo-European roots.] |
| axiom (āk'sē-əm) Pronunciation Key
A principle that is accepted as true without proof. The statement "For every two points P and Q there is a unique line that contains both P and Q" is an axiom because no other information is given about points or lines, and therefore it cannot be proven. Also called postulate. |
AXIOM language
A commercially available subset of Scratchpad, from IBM.
["Axiom - The Scientific Computing System", R. Jenks et al, Springer 1992].
(1995-02-21)
axiom logic
A well-formed formula which is taken to be true without proof in the construction of a theory.
Compare: lemma.
(1995-03-31)