syllogism - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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syl·lo·gism

Audio Help [sil-uh-jiz-uh

m] Pronunciation Key

–noun

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 (v 1.1)
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syl·lo·gism Audio Help (sĭl'ə-jĭz'əm) Pronunciation Key
n.

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.
Reasoning from the general to the specific; deduction.
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).]

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
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."

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

syllogism
noun
deductive reasoning in which a conclusion is derived from two premises

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Syllogism

Con*clu"sion\, n. [F., fr. L. conclusio. See Conclude.]

1. The last part of anything; close; termination; end.

A fluorish of trumpets announced the conclusion of the contest. --Prescott.

2. Final decision; determination; result.

And the conclusion is, she shall be thine. --Shak.

3. Any inference or result of reasoning.

4. (Logic) The inferred proposition of a syllogism; the necessary consequence of the conditions asserted in two related propositions called premises. See Syllogism.

He granted him both the major and minor, but denied him the conclusion. --Addison.

5. Drawing of inferences. [Poetic]

Your wife Octavia, with her modest eyes And still conclusion. --Shak.

6. An experiment, or something from which a conclusion may be drawn. [Obs.]

We practice likewise all conclusions of grafting and inoculating. --Bacon.

7. (Law) (a) The end or close of a pleading, e.g., the formal ending of an indictment, "against the peace," etc. (b) An estoppel or bar by which a person is held to a particular position. --Wharton.

Conclusion to the country (Law), the conclusion of a pleading by which a party "puts himself upon the country," i.e., appeals to the verdict of a jury. --Mozley & W.

In conclusion. (a) Finally. (b) In short.

To try conclusions, to make a trial or an experiment.

Like the famous ape, To try conclusions, in the basket creep. --Shak.

Syn: Inference; deduction; result; consequence; end; decision. See Inference.

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