tautology etymology

Etymology of Tautology

The word "tautology" is derived from the Ancient Greek words tauto (ταὐτό), meaning "the same," and logos (λόγος), meaning "word" or "speech."

Meaning and Origin

In linguistics and logic, a tautology is a statement that is true in all possible interpretations. It is a statement that inherently holds true under any condition or circumstance. Tautologies are often characterized by the presence of logically equivalent terms or phrases within the statement, making their truth value a foregone conclusion.

The concept of tautology originated in ancient Greek philosophy, where it was used to describe statements that were so obviously true that they did not require any further proof or justification. Aristotle, in his work on logic, referred to such statements as axioms or self-evident truths.

In modern logic, tautologies are considered to be true based on their logical structure alone, regardless of their empirical content. They are typically expressed in symbolic notation, using propositional logic or predicate logic symbols such as "¬" (not), "∧" (and), and "∨" (or).

Examples of Tautologies

  • "(P ∨ Q) → P" (If P or Q, then P)
  • "(¬P → Q) → (P → Q)" (If not P implies Q, then P implies Q)
  • "P → (P ∨ Q)" (If P, then P or Q)
  • "(P → Q) → (¬Q → ¬P)" (If P implies Q, then not Q implies not P)

Significance of Tautologies

Tautologies play an important role in various fields, including:

  • Logic: Tautologies form the basis for deductive reasoning and are used extensively in constructing logical proofs.
  • Mathematics: Tautologies are used to establish the validity of mathematical theorems and identities.
  • Computer Science: Tautologies are used in digital circuits and Boolean algebra to design and verify logic systems.
  • Natural Language Processing: Tautologies can be used to identify and extract logical information from natural language text.

tautology relate terms

  • Logos

    Etymology The word logos comes from the Ancient Greek word λόγος lógos meani

  • tauto

    Etymology The word tautology comes from the Greek word tautologos which is derived f

  • alexia

    Etymology Greek Αλεξία Alexía Meaning Greek Defender Origin Alexi

  • analogous

    Etymology The word analogous is derived from the Greek words ana meaning up and

  • analogue

    Etymology The word analogue derives from the Greek word analogos which means propo

  • analogy

    Etymology The word analogy comes from the Greek word analogia which is itself derive

  • anthology

    Etymology Anthology derives from the Greek word anthología which is a compound noun

  • apologetic

    Etymology The word apologetic originates from the Greek word apologia which means a

  • apologue

    Etymology From Middle English apologue from Old French apologue from Latin apologus

  • apology

  • catalogue

    Etymology The word catalogue originates from the Greek word katálogos which means

  • coil

    Etymology Old English coil col Proto West Germanic koili Proto Germanic kuzilą Pro

  • colleague

    Etymology The word colleague comes from the Middle French word collega which in tur

  • collect

    Etymology The study of the origin and history of words Meaning The analysis of the mea

  • college

    Etymology The word college originates from the Latin word collegium meaning a group

  • collegial

    Etymology Latin collegialis from collega meaning colleague legare meaning t

  • Decalogue

    Etymology The word decalogue is derived from the Greek words deka δέκα meaning

  • delegate

    Etymology The word delegate comes from the Latin verb delegare meaning to send out

  • dialect

    Etymology Dialect comes from the Greek διάλεκτος dialektos meaning convers

  • dialogue

    Etymology and Meaning Dialogue originates from the Ancient Greek word διάλογος

  • diligence

    Etymology Diligence comes from the Latin word diligentia which is derived from the ve

  • doxology

    Etymology From Late Latin doxologia from Greek δοξολογία doxologia from δ

  • dyslexia

    Etymology dys Greek root difficulty abnormality lexia Greek root word speech

  • eclectic

    Etymology From Late Latin eclēcticus from Ancient Greek eklektikos selective disce

  • eclogue

    Etymology From the Greek ekloge meaning a selection a choice Derived from ekle

  • elect

    Etymology The word elect comes from the Latin verb eligere meaning to choose sele

  • election

    Etymology The word election comes from the Latin word electio which derives from th

  • epilogue

    Etymology The word epilogue comes from the Greek words epi meaning upon or after

  • homologous

    Etymology The word homologous is derived from Greek homos ὁμός same logos

  • horology

    Etymology and Origin The word horology comes from the Greek words hōra ώρα me

  • ideologue

    The word ideologue comes from the French word idéologue The French word was coined i

  • idiolect

    Etymology Idio Greek distinct special lect Latin speech language Meanin

  • intelligence

    Etymology Latin intelligentia understanding knowledge wisdom From inter among

  • lectern

    Etymology The word lectern comes from the Latin lectorium which means reading desk

  • lection

    Etymology The word lection comes from the Latin word lectio which means reading or

  • lector

    Etymology From Latin lector meaning reader or instructor Derived from the verb

  • lecture

    Etymology The word lecture is derived from the Latin word lectura which means a rea

  • leech

    Etymology The word leech derives from the Middle English leeche which in turn com

  • legacy

    Etymology The word legacy comes from the Latin word legare meaning to give or bequ

  • legal

    Etymology The term legal originates from the Latin word lex which means law Mean

  • legate

    Etymology From Latin legatus past participle of legare meaning to appoint as age

  • legend

    Etymology of Legend The word legend has an interesting etymological history Latin

  • legible

    Etymology Latin legibilis from legere to read Meaning Clear and easy to read or

  • legion

    Etymology The word legion is derived from the Latin word legio meaning a levy of so

  • legislator

    Etymology The word legislator is derived from the Latin word legislator which is it

  • legitimate

    Etymology Latin legitimus from lex law agere to act Meaning In accordance

  • lesson

    Etymology The word lesson is derived from the Old English word lesnung which means

  • lexicon

    Etymology Derived from the Greek words lexis word and eikon image or representat

  • ligneous

    Etymology Latin ligneus made of wood From Latin lignum wood timber eu

  • ligni

    Etymology The word ligni is derived from the Latin word lignum which means wood

  • logarithm

    Etymology Logos Greek word ratio Arithmos Greek number Meaning Log

  • logic

    Etymology The word logic comes from the Greek word logike which means the art of re

  • logistic

    Etymology The term logistic is derived from the Greek word logistikos which means

  • logo

    Etymology The word logo is derived from the Greek word logos which means word or

  • logogriph

    Etymology The word logogriph is derived from two Greek words logos λόγος w

  • logopoeia

    Etymology The word logopoeia is derived from two Greek words logos λόγος m

  • Logos

    Etymology The word logos comes from the Ancient Greek word λόγος lógos meani

  • loyal

    Etymology Old French leial c 1175 Late Latin legalis lawful legitimate Latin

  • monologue

    Etymology of Monologue The word monologue is derived from the Greek words monos mean

  • neglect

    Etymology Late Latin neglectus meaning not gathered not selected Latin neclegere

  • philology

    Philology Etymology and Origin Derived from the Greek words philos friend love an

  • privilege

    Etymology Latin privilegium Proto Indo European pr̥ḱ li s before the law Mea

  • prolegomenon

    Etymology Greek pro before logos discourse on suffix indicating a work

  • prologue

    Etymology Prologue derives from the Ancient Greek words pró προ meaning bef

  • relegate

    Etymology The word relegate originates from the Latin verb relegare which means to

  • select

    Etymology Meaning Origin Abyss A deep dark and often mysteriou

  • syllogism

    Etymology The word syllogism comes from the Greek word συλλογισμός syllog

  • tautology

    Etymology of Tautology The word tautology is derived from the Ancient Greek words tauto

  • trilogy

    Etymology The word trilogy originates from the Greek word τριλογία trilogia

  • truth

    Etymology Old English treowþ from Proto Germanic treuwĭþą meaning faithfulne

  • they

    Etymology The word etymology comes from the Greek words etymon meaning true meaning

  • same

    Etymology is the study of the history of words their origins and how their form and mean

  • time

    Etymology Old English tîma time period hour West Germanic tîmon Proto Germanic

  • repetition

    Etymology Latin repĕtitio noun Verb stem repět meaning to repeat go back o

  • Zeus

    Etymology Derived from the Proto Indo European root Dyeus meaning sky father or sh

  • shower

    Etymology The word shower has multiple etymological origins Old English scur mea

  • Dutch

    Etymology The word Dutch is derived from the Latin word Theodiscus which means of

  • zilch

    Etymology and Origin The word zilch originated in the German language where it was fir