theorem
theorem Lexical Profile
theorem Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A non-self-evident mathematical or logical statement that has been proven true through a chain of reasoning based on previously established statements and accepted axioms.
"Students in geometry class learn how to apply the Pythagorean theorem to calculate the length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle."
A general principle, rule, or idea, especially one that forms part of a larger theoretical system.
"The economist argued that the traditional theorem regarding supply and demand did not account for sudden regulatory interventions."
Word Nuance & Usage
In mathematics and logic, a 'theorem' is a proposition that has been rigorously proved from axioms, whereas a 'theory' in science is a broad explanatory framework supported by empirical evidence, and an 'axiom' or 'postulate' is a starting assumption accepted without proof.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-16th century via French or Late Latin from Ancient Greek 'theōrēma' ('spectacle, speculation, or proposition to be proved'), from 'theōrein' ('to look at, behold, or consider').