Meaning of heptalemma | Babel Free

Definitions

A figure that gives an exhaustive enumeration of seven possibilities in a specified situation.

rare

Examples

“Ṭhāṇ 3.239 offers also a trilemma: (1) to state the truth (tavvayaṇa <tadvacana>), (2) to state the untruth (tadaṇṇavayaṇa <tadanyavacana>), (3) to state something meaningless or negative (no-avayaṇa <no-avacana>); Ṭhāṇ 7.129 a heptalemma: (1) speech (ālāva <ālāpa>), (2) taciturnity (aṇ-ālāva <an-ālāpa>), (3) flattery (ullāva <ullāpa>), (4) insult (aṇ-ullāva <an-ullāpa>), (5) dialogue (saṁlāva <saṁlāpa>), (6) prattle (palāva <pralāpa>), (7) contradiction (vi-ppalāva <vi-pralāpa>).”

CEFR level