Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

pons asinorum

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: pon-s asi-no-rum
IPA

16

Scrabble Score

12

Letters

4

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A method for finding the middle term of a syllogism in Aristotlean analytics.

noun

An obstacle which will defeat a beginner or foolish person.

noun

A proposition in Euclid stating that the angles at the base of an isoceles triangle are equal.

Example Sentences

"[H]e had scarce advanced beyond the Pons Asinorum, when his ardour abated, the test of truth by demonstration did not elevate him to those transports of joy with which his preceptor had regaled his expectation; and before he arrived at the fortieth and seventh proposition, he began to yawn drearily […]."

Etymology

From New Latin pons asinorum, from Latin pōns (“bridge”) + genitive plural of asinus (“donkey”). Literally, “bridge of donkeys”.

Origin

Source language: Latin

Word Breakdown

Root: pons asinorum, pōns

Inflected Forms

pontes asinorum (plural)

Questions

What does pons asinorum mean?: A method for finding the middle term of a syllogism in Aristotlean analytics.
Where does pons asinorum come from?: It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce pons asinorum

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