absurdum)
|ab-surd-um|
🇺🇸
/æbˈsɝdəm/
🇬🇧
/æbˈsɜːdəm/
to the absurd
Etymology
'absurdum' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'absurdus', where 'ab-' meant 'away from' and 'surdus' meant 'deaf, senseless'.
'absurdum' comes from Classical/Medieval Latin 'absurdus' and entered English usage mainly in scholarly and logical contexts as part of fixed phrases like 'reductio ad absurdum'.
Initially it meant 'out of tune' or 'senseless'; over time it evolved to mean 'ridiculous' or 'absurd' and, in the phrase 'ad absurdum', 'to the absurd'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
used chiefly in the Latin phrase 'reductio ad absurdum': the absurd or an argument taken 'to the absurd' to show that a proposition leads to an absurd or contradictory conclusion.
The philosopher employed a reductio ad absurdum, driving the claim to absurdum to reveal its contradiction.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/12/01 23:56