Etymograph

English

theorem

Theorem comes from Late Latin theōrēma ‘a theorem, a proposition to be proved’, from Ancient Greek θεωρέω ‘to look at, view, consider, examine’, and ultimately from θεωρός ‘spectator’.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEθεωρός1theōrós‘spectator’
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEθεωρέω1theōréō‘to look at, view, consider, examine’
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEθεώρημα1theṓrēma‘speculation, proposition to be proved’
  4. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEtheōrēma1‘a theorem, a proposition to be proved’
  5. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600théorème1
  6. Englishtodaytheorem1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English theorem

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEθεωρόςWiktionary, English theoremtheōrós‘spectator’
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEθεωρέωWiktionary, English theoremtheōréō‘to look at, view, consider, examine’
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEθεώρημαWiktionary, English theoremtheṓrēma‘speculation, proposition to be proved’
  4. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEtheōrēmaWiktionary, English theorem‘a theorem, a proposition to be proved’
  5. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600théorèmeWiktionary, English theorem
  6. EnglishtodaytheoremWiktionary, English theorem

A compound of θέα ‘a view’ + ὁράω ‘to see, look’

Proto-Hellenic *tʰáwā

Ancient Greek θέα ‘a view’

Proto-Indo-European *wer- ‘to watch, guard’

Ancient Greek ὁράω ‘to see, look’

Every English word from Ancient Greek θεωρός

Today it means

noun A mathematical statement of some importance that has been proven to be true. Minor theorems are often called propositions. Theorems which are not very interesting in themselves but are an essential part of a bigger theorem's proof are called lemmas.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “theorem”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Ancient Greek θεωρός / theorem

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