dilemma

First attested 1523, from Late Latin dilemma, from Ancient Greek δίλημμα (dílēmma, “ambiguous proposition”), from δι- (di-, “having two of”) + λῆμμα (lêmma, “premise, proposition”).

• enPR: dī-lĕmʹə or dĭ-lĕmʹə, IPA^(key): /daɪˈlɛmə/, /dɪˈlɛmə/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛmə

dilemma (plural dilemmas or dilemmata)

1. A circumstance in which a choice must be made between two or more alternatives that seem equally undesirable.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:dilemma

   • 1731, Jonathan Swift, "An Epistle to Mr. Gay"

     A strong dilemma in a desperate case! / To act with infamy, or quit the place.

2. A difficult circumstance or problem.

   Synonyms: bind, fix, pickle, problem, quandary

3. (logic) 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".
4. (rhetoric) Offering to an opponent a choice between two (equally unfavorable) alternatives.

Occasionally misspelled as dilemna, perhaps originally via false analogy with words such as condemn, solemn, and hymn. This spelling has been reportedly taught in many regions of Great Britain and the United States as well as around the world, and can be found in the works of many well-known authors (e.g. Isaac Watts, Defoe & Goldsmith).[1]

• lemma
• trilemma
• tetralemma
• pentalemma
• polylemma

• between a rock and a hard place
• between the devil and the deep blue sea
• between Scylla and Charybdis
• Buridan's ass
• no-win situation
• catch-22
• damned if one does and damned if one doesn't
• doomed if you do, doomed if you don't
• predicament

• dilemma on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Silva Rhetoricae

• midmeal

Borrowed from Latin dilemma, from Ancient Greek δίλημμα (dílēmma).

• IPA^(key): /ˌdiˈlɛ.maː/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: di‧lem‧ma
• Rhymes: -ɛmaː

dilemma n (plural dilemma's, diminutive dilemmaatje n)

1. dilemma (between two alternatives)

• dilemmatisch

From Late Latin dilemma, from Ancient Greek δίλημμα (dílēmma).

• IPA^(key): /ˈdilemːɑ/, [ˈdile̞mːɑ]
• Rhymes: -ilemːɑ
• Syllabification^(key): di‧lem‧ma

dilemma

1. dilemma (between two alternatives)

From Ancient Greek δίλημμα (dílēmma).

• IPA^(key): /diˈlɛm.ma/
• Rhymes: -ɛmma
• Hyphenation: di‧lèm‧ma

dilemma m (plural dilemmi)

1. dilemma (between two alternatives)

• dilemmatico

• dammeli, dimmela

Learned borrowing from Latin dilemma, from Ancient Greek δίλημμα (dílēmma).

• IPA^(key): [di.lɛmːɑ]

dilemma (definite accusative dilemmayı, plural dilemmalar)

1. dilemma

   Synonym: ikilem