heptalemma

H4E1P3T1A1L1E1M3M3A1
/ˌhɛptəˈlɛmə/

noun

A figure that gives an exhaustive enumeration of seven possibilities in a specified situation.

OriginAncient Greek λῆμμᾰ →
Scrabble 19
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Meanings

noun
  1. rareIndian logicA figure that gives an exhaustive enumeration of seven possibilities in a specified situation.
    1 more example

    Ṭhāṇ 3.239 offers also a trilemma: (1) to state the truth (tavvayaṇa <tadvacana>), (2) to state the untruth (tadaṇṇavayaṇa <tadanyavacana>), (3) to state something meaningless or negative (no-avayaṇa <no-avacana>); Ṭhāṇ 7.129 a heptalemma: (1) speech (ālāva <ālāpa>), (2) taciturnity (aṇ-ālāva <an-ālāpa>), (3) flattery (ullāva <ullāpa>), (4) insult (aṇ-ullāva <an-ullāpa>), (5) dialogue (saṁlāva <saṁlāpa>), (6) prattle (palāva <pralāpa>), (7) contradiction (vi-ppalāva <vi-pralāpa>).

    2010, Piotr Balcerowicz, editor, Logic and Belief in Indian Philosophy, Motilal Banarsidass, Publishers, →ISBN (10), →ISBN (13), page 150

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekλῆμμᾰ“premise, assumption”
  2. Englishheptalemma

English hepta- (“seven”) + Ancient Greek λῆμμᾰ (lêmmă, “premise, assumption”), as in dilemma, trilemma, tetralemma, etc.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

heptalemma. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heptalemma

MLA

“heptalemma.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heptalemma. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “heptalemma,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heptalemma.

Source: heptalemma on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.