— dilemmatic /dil'euh mat"ik/ , dilemmatical, dilemmic , adj. — dilemmatically , adv.
/di lem"euh/ , n.
1. a situation requiring a choice between equally undesirable alternatives.
2. any difficult or perplexing situation or problem.
3. Logic. a form of syllogism in which the major premise is formed of two or more hypothetical propositions and the minor premise is a disjunctive proposition, as "If A, then B; if C then D. Either A or C. Therefore, either B or D."
[ 1515-25; dílemma, equiv. to di- DI- 1 + lêmma an assumption, premise, deriv. of lambánein to take ]
Syn. 1. See predicament. 2. question, difficulty.