syllogism

noun

syl·​lo·​gism ˈsi-lə-ˌji-zəm 

1

: a deductive scheme of a formal argument consisting of a major and a minor premise and a conclusion (as in "every virtue is laudable; kindness is a virtue; therefore kindness is laudable")

2

: a subtle, specious, or crafty argument

3

: deductive reasoning

syllogistic

ˌsi-lə-ˈji-stik 

adjective

syllogistically

ˌsi-lə-ˈji-sti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Did you know?

For those trained in formal argument, the syllogism is a classical form of deduction, specifically an argument consisting of a major and a minor premise and a conclusion. One example is the inference that "kindness is praiseworthy" from the premises "every virtue is praiseworthy" and "kindness is a virtue." Syllogism came to English through Anglo-French from Latin syllogismus, which in turn can be traced back to the Greek verb syllogizesthai, meaning "to infer." In Greek logizesthai means "to calculate" and derives from logos, meaning "word" or "reckoning." Syl- comes from syn-, meaning "with" or "together."

Examples of syllogism in a Sentence

An example of a syllogism is: “All men are human; all humans are mortal; therefore all men are mortal.”

Recent Examples on the Web

This syllogism is embraced by many Democrats, who are determined to recapture an industrial working-class base, and many Republicans, who use it as evidence that the government has sold out American workers in the heartland. —Adam S. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 20 Apr. 2021

The syllogism works only with two premises and a conclusion. —The Lost Women Of Science Initiative, Scientific American, 30 Nov. 2023

The ability to count indefinitely beyond fingers or body parts; to read, write, store, and learn ideas through text; the tendency to reason abstractly with syllogisms and enthymemes and approximations of formal logic – all were tools for thinking that were culturally created and then transmitted. —Michael Muthukrishna, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2023

Realizing Santa wasn't real made the syllogism obvious. —Phil Plait, Discover Magazine, 31 Dec. 2010

Twitter users often accept a flawed syllogism by using a conclusion as one of the premises – namely, that the platform spreads truthful information. —Aaron Duncan, The Conversation, 29 Oct. 2020

Chairman Xi will undoubtedly want to prevent this syllogism from presenting itself to the minds of Chinese Christians. —Cameron Hilditch, National Review, 1 Oct. 2020

The syllogism runs something like this: Jews, regardless of their American citizenship, owe loyalty to Israel. —Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2019

For Whom the Bell Tolls illustrate this trite syllogism. —David Pryce-Jones, National Review, 22 Aug. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Middle English silogisme, from Anglo-French sillogisme, from Latin syllogismus, from Greek syllogismos, from syllogizesthai to syllogize, from syn- + logizesthai to calculate, from logos reckoning, word — more at legend

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

syllogism

noun

syl·​lo·​gism ˈsil-ə-ˌjiz-əm 

: a brief form for stating an argument that consists of two statements and a conclusion that must be true if these two statements are true

syllogistic

ˌsil-ə-ˈjis-tik 

adjective