Hypertext Webster Gateway: "syllogism"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Syllogism \Syl"lo*gism\, n. [OE. silogisme, OF. silogime,
sillogisme, F. syllogisme, L. syllogismus, Gr. syllogismo`s a
reckoning all together, a reasoning, syllogism, fr.
syllogi`zesqai to reckon all together, to bring at once
before the mind, to infer, conclude; sy`n with, together +
logi`zesqai to reckon, to conclude by reasoning. See {Syn-},
and {Logistic}, {Logic}.] (Logic)
The regular logical form of every argument, consisting of
three propositions, of which the first two are called the
premises, and the last, the conclusion. The conclusion
necessarily follows from the premises; so that, if these are
true, the conclusion must be true, and the argument amounts
to demonstration;
Note: as in the following example: Every virtue is laudable;
Kindness is a virtue; Therefore kindness is laudable.
These propositions are denominated respectively the
major premise, the minor premise, and the conclusion.
Note: If the premises are not true and the syllogism is
regular, the reasoning is valid, and the conclusion,
whether true or false, is correctly derived.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
syllogism
n : deductive reasoning in which a conclusion is derived from
two premises
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