Added 9 October 2026
dilemma
/daɪˈlɛmə/ noun
In Latin: dilemma First recorded: 1523 Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about dilemma at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A circumstance in which a choice must be made between two or more alternatives that seem equally undesirable.
- Any difficult circumstance or problem.
- 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".
Origin
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.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)