reductio ad absurdum

English

Noun

reductio ad absurdum

  1. (mathematics, logic) The method of proving a statement by assuming the statement is false and, with that assumption, arriving at a blatant contradiction.

Synonyms

Translations
proof by contradiction — see proof by contradiction

Latin

Etymology

Possibly a loose translation of the Ancient Greek ἡ εἰς τὸ ἀδύνατον ἀπόδειξις (hē eis tò adúnaton apódeixis, “demonstration towards the impossible”).

Noun

reductiō ad absurdum f (genitive reductiōnis ad absurdum); third declension

  1. reduction to the absurd

Inflection

Third declension.

Case Singular
Nominative reductiō ad absurdum
Genitive reductiōnis ad absurdum
Dative reductiōnī ad absurdum
Accusative reductiōnem ad absurdum
Ablative reductiōne ad absurdum
Vocative reductiō ad absurdum
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