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dilemma - 6 dictionary results
di⋅lem⋅ma
[di-lem-uh] 
–noun
| 1. | a situation requiring a choice between equally undesirable alternatives. |
| 2. | any difficult or perplexing situation or problem. |
| 3. | Logic. a form of syllogism in which the major premise is formed of two or more hypothetical propositions and the minor premise is a disjunctive proposition, as “If A, then B; if C then D. Either A or C. Therefore, either B or D.” |
Origin:
1515–25; < LL < Gk dílēmma, equiv. to di- di- 1 + lêmma an assumption, premise, deriv. of lambánein to take
1515–25; < LL < Gk dílēmma, equiv. to di- di- 1 + lêmma an assumption, premise, deriv. of lambánein to take
Related forms:
dil⋅em⋅mat⋅ic [dil-uh-mat-ik] , dil⋅em⋅mat⋅i⋅cal, di⋅lem⋅mic, adjective
[dil-uh-mat-ik] , dil⋅em⋅mat⋅i⋅cal, di⋅lem⋅mic, adjective dil⋅em⋅mat⋅i⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To dilemma
| di·lem·ma (dĭ-lěm'ə) n.
[Late Latin, from Greek dilēmma, ambiguous proposition : di-, two; see di-1 + lēmma, proposition; see lemma1.] dil'em·mat'ic (dĭl'ə-māt'ĭk) adj. Usage Note: A dilemma is a situation in which a choice must be made between alternative courses of action or argument. Although citational evidence attests to widespread use of the term meaning simply "problem" or "predicament" and involving no issue of choice, 58 percent of the Usage Panel in our 1999 survey rejected the sentence Historically, race has been the great dilemma of democracy. · It is sometimes claimed that because the di- in dilemma comes from a Greek prefix meaning "two," the word should be used only when exactly two choices are involved. Nevertheless, 64 percent of the Usage Panel in our 1988 survey accepted its use for choices among three or more options. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Dilemma
Di*lem"ma\, n. [L. dilemma, Gr. ?; di- = di`s- twice + ? to take. See Lemma.]1. (Logic) An argument which presents an antagonist with two or more alternatives, but is equally conclusive against him, whichever alternative he chooses. Note: The following are instances of the dilemma. A young rhetorician applied to an old sophist to be taught the art of pleading, and bargained for a certain reward to be paid when he should gain a cause. The master sued for his reward, and the scholar endeavored to ?lude his claim by a dilemma. "If I gain my cause, I shall withhold your pay, because the judge's award will be against you; if I lose it, I may withhold it, because I shall not yet have gained a cause." "On the contrary," says the master, "if you gain your cause, you must pay me, because you are to pay me when you gain a cause; if you lose it, you must pay me, because the judge will award it." --Johnson. 2. A state of things in which evils or obstacles present themselves on every side, and it is difficult to determine what course to pursue; a vexatious alternative or predicament; a difficult choice or position. A strong dilemma in a desperate case! To act with infamy, or quit the place. --Swift. Horns of a dilemma, alternatives, each of which is equally difficult of encountering.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : dilemma
Spanish:
dilema,
German:
das Dilemma,
Japanese:
ジレンマ
dilemma
1523, from L.L. dilemma, from Gk. dilemma "double proposition," a technical term in rhetoric, from di- "two" + lemma "premise, anything taken," from base *lab-. It should be used only of situations where someone is forced to choose between two alternatives, both unfavorable to him. But even logicians disagree on whether certain situations are dilemmas or mere syllogisms.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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dilemma
see horns of a dilemma.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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dilemma
in syllogistic, or traditional, logic, any one of several forms of inference in which there are two major premises of hypothetical form and a disjunctive ("either . . . or") minor premise. For example:
Learn more about dilemma with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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