axioms
|æk-si-əmz|
/ˈæk.si.əm/
(axiom)
self-evident truth
Etymology
'axiom' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'axiōma', where 'axi-' (from 'axios') meant 'worthy' or 'fit'.
'axiōma' passed into Latin as 'axioma' and then into Medieval/Modern English as 'axiom'; the word retained its technical use in logic and mathematics.
Initially, it meant 'that which is considered worthy or fitting', but over time it evolved into the current meaning of 'a self-evident principle or foundational proposition'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a statement or proposition accepted as true without proof, used as a starting point for further reasoning or argument (especially in mathematics and logic).
Mathematicians often choose a small set of axioms and derive many theorems from them.
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Noun 2
a generally accepted principle, rule, or truth regarded as self-evident or fundamental in a particular field or everyday usage.
In business ethics there are certain axioms about fairness that most companies accept.
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Last updated: 2025/12/06 01:50