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)

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• Rhymes: -ɛmə

In the story of Odysseus, a ship captain faced a dilemma when he was forced to choose between confronting one of two dangerous sea monsters, Scylla or Charybdis, leading to the phrase between Scylla and Charybdis.

dilemma (plural dilemmas or dilemmata)

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

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

2. A difficult circumstance or problem.
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 spelled/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]

• (circumstance in which a choice must be made between two alternatives):
• (any difficult circumstance): bind, fix, pickle, problem, quandary
• (logic):
• (rhetoric):
• See also Thesaurus:dilemma

• on the horns of a dilemma

• predicament
• lemma
• trilemma
• tetralemma
• pentalemma
• Catch-22
• no-win situation
• damned if one does and damned if one doesn't

• Thesaurus:dilemma
• 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

• Silva Rhetoricae

• midmeal

• Audio

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

1. dilemma (between two alternatives)

• Hyphenation: di‧lem‧ma

dilemma

1. dilemma (between two alternatives)

From Ancient Greek δίλημμα (dílēmma).

dilemma m (plural dilemmi)

1. dilemma (between two alternatives)

• dilemmatico

• dammeli, dimmela