Theorem

Origin

Via Late Latin theōrēma, from Ancient Greek θεώρημα (theōrēma, "speculation, proposition to be proved") (Euclid), from θεωρέω (theōreō, "I look at, view, consider, examine"), from θεωρός (theōros, "spectator"), from θέα (thea, "a view") + ὁράω (oraō, "I see, look"). See also theory, and theater.

Full definition of theorem

Noun

1. (mathematics) A mathematical statement of some importance that has been proven to be true. Minor theorems are often called propositions. Theorems which are not very interesting in themselves but are an essential part of a bigger theorem's proof are called lemmas
2. (mathematics, colloquial, nonstandard) A mathematical statement that is expected to be true; as, Fermat's Last Theorem (as which it was known long before it was proved in the 1990s.)
3. (logic) a syntactically correct expression that is deducible from the given axioms of a deductive system

Synonyms

• proven statement: lemma, proposition, statement
• unproven statement: conjecture

Holonyms

• theory

Derived terms

• central limit theorem
• Pythagorean theorem
• binomial theorem
• Gödel's incompleteness theorem
• intercept theorem

Related terms

• theoretical
• theory

Verb

1. (transitive) to formulate into a theorem