a. and sb. Logic and Gram. [ad. mod.L. subdisjunctīvus, = Gr. ὑποδιαζευκτικός: see SUB- 19 + DISJUNCTIVE.] A. adj. Partly disjunctive (see quots.). B. sb. A subdisjunctive proposition or word.
1656. Stanley, Hist. Philos., VIII. (1687), 441. Contraries are either disjunctive or subdisjunctive…. Subdisjunctive, are of two kinds, either in whole, betwixt Universals,… or in part, betwixt particulars…. Of subdisjunctives in whole, both cannot be true, both may be false; both cannot be affirmative, both cannot be negative. Of subdisjunctives in part, both may be true, because they are taken in part.
1751. Harris, Hermes, 258, note. The Latins had a peculiar Particle for this occasion, which they called Subdisjunctiva, a Subdisjunctive; and that was Sive.
1818. Stoddart, in Encycl. Metrop. (1845), I. 162/2. Priscian distinguishes the subdisjunctive from the disjunctive.… In English we use the conjunction or indifferently as a disjunctive or subdisjunctive; that is, we say, ‘Alexander or Paris,’ whether Alexander and Paris be two different persons, or only two different names for the same person.
1865. Liddell & Scott, Gr. Lex. (ed. 5), ὑποδιαζευκτικός … as Gramm. word, subdisjunctive.
So Subdisjunction rare–0.
1869. Liddell & Scott, Gr. Lex. (ed. 6), ὑποδιάζευξις, subdisjunction.
