lemma

UK: /ˈlɛmə/ US: (lem′ə)

Inflections of 'lemma' (n):

lemmas

npl

lemmata

npl

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

lem•ma¹  (lem′ə), n., pl. lem•mas, lem•ma•ta 

(lem′ə tə). 
1. a subsidiary proposition introduced in proving some other proposition;
   a helping theorem.
2. an argument, theme, or subject, esp. when indicated in a heading.
3. Linguistics a word or phrase that is glossed;
   headword.

• Greek lêmma something received, premise, akin to lambánein to take, receive, take for granted
• Latin: theme, title, epigram
• 1560–70

lem•ma²  (lem′ə), n., pl. lem•mas. [Bot.]

1. Botany a bract in a grass spikelet just below the pistil and stamens.

• Greek lémma shell, husk, akin to lépein to peel
• 1745–55

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

lemma / ˈlɛmə/ noun ( -mas, -mata / -mətə/)

1. a subsidiary proposition, proved for use in the proof of another proposition
2. a word considered as its citation form together with all the inflected forms. For example, the lemma go consists of go together with goes, going, went, and gone
3. an argument or theme, esp when used as the subject or title of a composition

Etymology: 16th Century (meaning: proposition), C17 (meaning: title, theme): via Latin from Greek: premise, from lambanein to take (for granted)