What is "lemmata"

Lemma \Lem"ma\ (l[e^]m"m[.a]), n.; pl. L. Lemmata (-m[.a]*t[.a]), E. Lemmas (-m[.a]z). [L. lemma, Gr. lh^mma anything received, an assumption or premise taken for granted, fr. lamba`nein to take, assume. Cf. Syllable.]

1. (Math., Logic) A preliminary or auxiliary proposition demonstrated or accepted for immediate use in the demonstration of some other proposition, as in mathematics or logic.

2. A word that is included in a glossary or list of headwords; a headword.

n. (plural of lemma English)

1. n. a subsidiary proposition that is assumed to be true in order to prove another proposition

2. the lower and stouter of the two glumes immediately enclosing the floret in most Gramineae [syn: flowering glume]

3. the head of an annotation or gloss

4. [also: lemmata (pl)]

See lemma