Meanings
plural syllogisms
- human sciencesAn argument whose conclusion is supported by two premises, of which one contains the term that is the predicate of the conclusion, and the other contains the term that is the subject of the conclusion; common to both premises is a term that is excluded from the conclusion.
1 more example
Ever since Aristotle, syllogism has occupied a central place in logic and cast a fateful shadow upon the power of reason. Recognized to be the great conveyor of rationality, allowing reason to reach conclusions of unparalleled universality and necessity, syllogism has equally been acknowledged to be beset by limits.
2006, Richard Dien Winfield, From Concept to Objectivity: Thinking Through Hegel's Subjective Logic, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., →ISBN, page 107
Origin
- Ancient Greekσυλλογισμός“inference, conclusion”
- Latinsyllogismus
- Old Frenchsilogisme“syllogism”
- Englishsyllogism
From Old French silogisme (“syllogism”), from Latin syllogismus, from Ancient Greek συλλογισμός (sullogismós, “inference, conclusion”). Doublet of syllogismus.
More words from Old French, Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek συλλογισμός
- συλλογισμός (sullogismós)inference from two premises
Bulgarian силогизъм
- силогизъм (silogizăm)inference from two premises
Catalan sil·logisme
- sil·logismeinference from two premises
Chinese Mandarin 直言三段論 /直言三段论
- 直言三段論 /直言三段论 (zhíyánsānduànlùn)inference from two premises
Czech sylogismus
- sylogismusinference from two premises
Danish syllogisme
- syllogismeinference from two premises
Dutch syllogisme, sluitrede
- syllogismeinference from two premises
- sluitredeinference from two premises
Finnish syllogismi
- syllogismiinference from two premises
French syllogisme
- syllogismeinference from two premises
German Syllogismus
- Syllogismusinference from two premises
Greek συλλογισμός
- συλλογισμός (syllogismós)inference from two premises
Hebrew סילוגיזם, היקש
- סילוגיזם (silogizm)inference from two premises
- היקש (hekésh)inference from two premises
Hindi न्यायवाक्य
- न्यायवाक्य (nyāyvākya)inference from two premises
Hungarian szillogizmus
- szillogizmusinference from two premises
Icelandic rökhenda
- rökhendainference from two premises
Irish siollóg
- siollóginference from two premises
Italian sillogismo
- sillogismoinference from two premises
Japanese 三段論法
- 三段論法 (sandanronpō)inference from two premises
Korean 삼단논법
- 삼단논법 (samdannonbeop)inference from two premises
Polish sylogizm
- sylogizminference from two premises
Portuguese silogismo
- silogismoinference from two premises
Romanian silogism
- silogisminference from two premises
Russian силлоги́зм
- силлоги́зм (sillogízm)inference from two premises
Scottish Gaelic argainn-iomlan
- argainn-iomlaninference from two premises
Slovak sylogizmus
- sylogizmusinference from two premises
Spanish silogismo
- silogismoinference from two premises
Swedish syllogism, slutledning
- syllogisminference from two premises
- slutledninginference from two premises
Tagalog sangmatwiran
- sangmatwiraninference from two premises
Cite this entry
syllogism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/syllogism
“syllogism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/syllogism. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “syllogism,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/syllogism.
Source: syllogism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.