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algorithm.

A collection of ordered steps that solve a mathematical problem. A precise step-by-step plan for a computational procedure that possibly begins with an input value and yields an output value in a finite number of steps.

9 characters3 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

noun/ˈælɡəɹɪðm̩/[ˈæɫɡəɹɪðm̩]/ˈalɡəɹɪð(ə)m/British, Southern, Standard
  1. A collection of ordered steps that solve a mathematical problem. A precise step-by-step plan for a computational procedure that possibly begins with an input value and yields an output value in a finite number of steps.

    countable
  2. A flowchart illustrating a decision-making process for human users, especially health care professionals.

    broadly · countable · uncountable
  3. Calculation with Arabic numerals; algorism.

    obsolete · uncountable
  4. recommender systems and the curation of feeds software that makes content display determinations on a platform, in totality of effect upon all end users (within a potential audience).

    countable · metonymically · uncountable
  5. recommender systems and the curation of feeds the influenced zeitgeist: e.g. what content ends up trending or viral, what persons become a main character or cancelled

    broadly · countable · informal · metonymically · uncountable
  6. recommender systems and the curation of feeds the actual personalized selections of content seen by specific user(s), the microtargeting to which they are subject

    countable · informal · metonymically · uncountable
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Arabic ال (al-) Old Persian *𐎢𐎺𐎠𐎼- (*u-v-a-r-) Old Persian *𐏀𐎷𐎡- (*z-mi-i-) Old Persian 𐎢𐎺𐎠𐎼𐏀𐎷𐎡𐎹 (u-v-a-r-z-mi-i-y)der. Old Persian 𐎢𐎺𐎠𐎼𐏀𐎷𐎡𐏁 (u-v-a-r-z-mi-i-š) Classical Persian خْوَارَزْم (xwārazm)bor. Arabic خَوَارِزْم (ḵawārizm) Proto-Afroasiatic Proto-Semitic Arabic ـِيّ (-iyy) Arabic خَوَارِزْمِيّ (ḵawārizmiyy) Arabic الخَوَارِزْمِيّ (al-ḵawārizmiyy)bor. Medieval Latin algorismusbor. Anglo-Norman algorismebor. Middle English algorisme English algorism ▲ English arithmo-influ. English algorithm From Middle English algorisme, augrym, from Anglo-Norman algorisme, augrim, from Medieval Latin algorismus, from Arabic الخَوَارِزْمِيّ (al-ḵawārizmiyy), the nisba of Persian mathematician Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī and a toponymic name meaning "the Chorasmian". The spelling change (-s- > -th-) was influenced by unrelated Ancient Greek ἀριθμός (arithmós) (whence English arithmo-).

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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.