WordNet Dictionary- [n] the head of an annotation or gloss
- [n] a subsidiary proposition that is assumed to be true in order to prove another proposition
- [n] the lower and stouter of the two glumes immediately enclosing the floret in most Gramineae
Webster's 1913 Dictionary\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}.]
A preliminary or auxiliary proposition demonstrated or
accepted for immediate use in the demonstration of some other
proposition, as in mathematics or logic.
Computing DictionaryA result already proved, which is needed in the proof of some further result.
Biology Dictionary