rə̇ˈdəkshēˌō, rēˈ-; rāˈdu̇ktēˌō noun
( plural reducti·o·nes ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈōˌnēz; ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈōˌnās)
Etymology: Late Latin — more at reduction
: an act or process of reducing — used as the first term in phrases relating to disproof of a proposition by arguing it to an obviously false conclusion
reductio ad impossible
— compare ad absurdum