trilemma

== English == === Etymology === The word is modelled on dilemma, with di- (“two, twice, double”) replaced by tri- (“three”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA(key): /tɹaɪˈlɛmə/ Rhymes: -ɛmə Hyphenation: tri‧lem‧ma === Noun === trilemma (plural trilemmas) A circumstance in which a choice must be made between three options that seem equally undesirable. A situation in which a choice must be made among three desirable options, only two of which are possible at the same time. (logic) An argument containing three alternatives, jointly exhaustive either under any condition(s) or under all condition(s) consistent with the universe of discourse of that argument, that each imply the same conclusion. ==== Coordinate terms ==== dilemma (two options) tetralemma (four options) polylemma ==== Derived terms ==== Agrippa's trilemma Lewis's trilemma Münchhausen trilemma trilemmatic ==== Related terms ==== lemma ==== Translations ==== ==== References ==== === Further reading === trilemma on Wikipedia.Wikipedia == Finnish == === Etymology === From English trilemma. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈtrilemːɑ/, [ˈt̪rile̞mːɑ̝] Rhymes: -ilemːɑ Syllabification(key): tri‧lem‧ma Hyphenation(key): tri‧lem‧ma === Noun === trilemma trilemma ==== Declension ====