undistributed middle

noun

Logic. a middle term of a syllogism that does not refer to its entire class in the major premise or minor premise, with the result that the syllogism is not valid.

First recorded in 1820–30

But it would be wrong; our syllogism would have a badly undistributed middle.

Moreover, not till a man's work is translated can we uncover all the unconscious cases of "undistributed middle."

You have committed the fallacy of the undistributed middle term, if you care to know the proper name for it.

For, just as in Fig I., a particular premise anywhere else involves undistributed Middle.

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