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syllogism - 4 dictionary results
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syl⋅lo⋅gism

  [sil-uh-jiz-uhm]
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–noun
1. Logic. an argument the conclusion of which is supported by two premises, of which one (major premise) contains the term (major term) that is the predicate of the conclusion, and the other (minor premise) contains the term (minor term) that is the subject of the conclusion; common to both premises is a term (middle term) that is excluded from the conclusion. A typical form is “All A is C; all B is A; therefore all B is C.”
2. deductive reasoning.
3. an extremely subtle, sophisticated, or deceptive argument.
Origin:
1350–1400; < L syllogismus < Gk syllogismós, equiv. to syllog- (see syllogize ) + -ismos -ism; r. ME silogime < OF < L, as above
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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syl·lo·gism   (sĭl'ə-jĭz'əm)   
n.  
  1. Logic A form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion; for example, All humans are mortal, the major premise, I am a human, the minor premise, therefore, I am mortal, the conclusion.
  2. Reasoning from the general to the specific; deduction.
  3. A subtle or specious piece of reasoning.

[Middle English silogisme, from Old French, from Latin syllogismus, from Greek sullogismos, from sullogizesthai, to infer : sun-, syn- + logizesthai, to count, reckon (from logos, reason; see leg- in Indo-European roots).]
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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Syllogism

Syl"lo*gism\, n. [OE. silogisme, OF. silogime, sillogisme, F. syllogisme, L. syllogismus, Gr. syllogismo`s a reckoning all together, a reasoning, syllogism, fr. syllogi`zesqai to reckon all together, to bring at once before the mind, to infer, conclude; sy`n with, together + logi`zesqai to reckon, to conclude by reasoning. See Syn-, and Logistic, Logic.] (Logic) The regular logical form of every argument, consisting of three propositions, of which the first two are called the premises, and the last, the conclusion. The conclusion necessarily follows from the premises; so that, if these are true, the conclusion must be true, and the argument amounts to demonstration;

Note: as in the following example: Every virtue is laudable; Kindness is a virtue; Therefore kindness is laudable. These propositions are denominated respectively the major premise, the minor premise, and the conclusion.

Note: If the premises are not true and the syllogism is regular, the reasoning is valid, and the conclusion, whether true or false, is correctly derived.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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syllogism 
1387, from O.Fr. silogisme "a syllogism," from L. syllogismus, from Gk. syllogismos "a syllogism," originally "inference, conclusion, computation, calculation," from syllogizesthai "bring together, premise, conclude," lit. "think together," from syn- "together" + logizesthai "to reason, count," from logos "a reckoning, reason."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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