sorites

English

Etymology

From the Latin sōrītēs, from the Ancient Greek σωρείτης (sōreitēs, “fallacy of the heap”), from σωρός (sōros, “heap”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /səˈraɪtiːz/

Noun

sorites (plural sorites)

1. (logic, rhetoric) A series of propositions whereby each conclusion is taken as the subject of the next.
   • 1760, Laurence Sterne, The Life & Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, Penguin 2003, p. 130:

     Why?—he would ask, making use of the sorites or syllogism of Zeno and Chrysippus without knowing it belonged to them.—Why? why are we a ruined people?—Because we are corrupted.——Whence is it, dear Sir, that we are corrupted?—Because we are needy [...] ——And wherefore, he would add,—are we needy?——From the neglect, he would answer

2. (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) an aggregation of more or less related things, facts, or items

See also

• syllogism

Anagrams

• rosiest
• sorties
• stories

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Latin

Etymology

From Ancient Greek σωρείτης (sōreitēs, “fallacy of the heap”), from σωρός (sōros, “heap”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA: /soːˈriː.teːs/

Noun

sōrītēs (genitive sōrītae); m, first declension

1. sorites; a logical sophism formed by an accumulation of arguments

Inflection

Number	Singular	Plural
nominative	sōrītēs	sōrītae
genitive	sōrītae	sōrītārum
dative	sōrītae	sōrītīs
accusative	sōrītēn	sōrītās
ablative	sōrītē	sōrītīs
vocative	sōrītē	sōrītae

Descendants

• English: sorites

References

• sorites in Charlton T. Lewis & Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1879