trilemma: Meaning and Definition of

tri•lem•ma

Pronunciation: (trī-lem'u), [key]
— n.
  1. a situation, analogous to a dilemma, in which there are three almost equally undesirable alternatives: His trilemma consisted in not knowing whether to acknowledge receipt, deny it, or simply leave.
  2. a form of argument in which three choices are presented, each of which is indicated to have consequences that may be unfavorable.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.