Phrase guide

parallel postulate

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

An axiom in Euclidean geometry: given a straight line L and a point p not on L, there exists exactly one straight line parallel to L that passes through p; a variant of this axiom, such that the number of lines parallel to L that pass through p may be zero or more than one.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: geometry, mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From the reference to parallel lines in the definition as formulated below, following Scottish mathematician John Playfair; this wording leads to a convenient basic categorization of Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometries. The original formulation in Euclid's Elements makes no mention of parallels.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: paralleeliaksiooma — axiom of Euclidean geometry
  • Polish: postulat równoległości — axiom of Euclidean geometry