dilemma
nounCA, US, UK /daɪˈlɛmə/ · AU /dɑeˈlemə/
Etymology PIE word *dwóh₁ First attested 1523, from Late Latin dilemma, from Ancient Greek δίλημμα (dílēmma, “ambiguous proposition”), from δι- (di-, “having two of”) + λῆμμα (lêmma, “premise, proposition”), equivalent to di- + lemma.
1
A circumstance in which a choice must be made between two or more alternatives that seem equally undesirable.
- A strong dilemma in a desperate case! / To act with infamy, or quit the place.1731, Jonathan Swift, An Epistle to Mr. Gay:
2
Any difficult circumstance or problem.
3
Human sciences, Logic, Mathematics, Philosophy, Sciences A type of syllogism of the form "if A is true then B is true; if C is true then D is true; either A or C is true; therefore either B or D is true".
4
Rhetoric Offering to an opponent a choice between two (equally unfavorable) alternatives.
- Synonyms
- Catch-22, dilemma, Hobson's choice, Morton's fork, no-win situation, quandary, Sophie's choice
- Derived terms
- agency dilemma, centipede's dilemma, dilemmalike, dilemmanade, dilemmatic, dilemmaticity, dilemmic, Euthyphro dilemma, false dilemma, Faustian dilemma, Goldman's dilemma, gunfighter's dilemma, Heinz dilemma, innovator's dilemma, on the horns of a dilemma, table-maker's dilemma
- Related terms
- lemma, trilemma, tetralemma, pentalemma, polylemma, between a rock and a hard place, between the devil and the deep blue sea, between Scylla and Charybdis, Buridan's ass, catch-22, damned if one does and damned if one doesn't, doomed if you do, doomed if you don't, predicament, conundrum, have the wolf by the ear, lose-lose, spanner, in a dilemma
- Hypernyms
- difficult situation, option
- Hyponyms
- double bind
- Coordinate terms
- trilemma, tetralemma, polylemma