In mathematics, a fundamental theorem is a theorem which is considered to be central and conceptually important for some topic. For example, the fundamental theorem of calculus gives the relationship between differential calculus and integral calculus. The names are mostly traditional, so that for example the fundamental theorem of arithmetic is basic to what would now be called number theory. Some of these are classification theorems of objects which are mainly dealt with in the field. For instance, the fundamental theorem of curves describe classification of regular curves in space up to translation, rotation.

Likewise, the mathematical literature sometimes refers to the fundamental lemma of a field. The term lemma is conventionally used to denote a proven proposition which is used as a stepping stone to a larger result, rather than as a useful statement in-and-of itself.