algorithm — A set of rules or instructions given to a computer to help it learn how to do something or solve a problem
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: A set of rules or instructions given to a computer to help it learn how to do something or solve a problem
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈælɡərɪðəm/
Example Sentences
- The dating app uses a special algorithm to match people who both like pizza and hate morning jogs.
- Social media algorithms know what you want to watch before you even know it yourself.
- The GPS algorithm calculated the fastest route, but it didn't account for my grandmother's driving speed.
algorithm
NOUN[/ˈælɡərɪðəm/]
A set of rules or instructions given to a computer to help it learn how to do something or solve a problem
The streaming service used an algorithm to recommend movies the viewer would enjoy.
The dancers performed every move in the same algorithm, never missing the rhythm. (ALGORITHM = ALGO + RHYTHM → Think of an algorithm as a rhythm of steps.)
The streaming algorithm analyzed millions of choices, just as a logarithm simplifies complex data into smarter recommendations.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from the name of 9th-century Persian mathematician Al-Khwarizmi, known as the father of algebra. His name was Latinized to 'Algorithmus' in medieval European texts, which eventually evolved into the modern English term 'algorithm'.
Breakdown
Al-Khwarizmi (Persian mathematician's name, literally 'from Khwarezm') → Algorithmus (Latin adaptation) → Algorithm (English form). The word became associated with step-by-step mathematical procedures through Al-Khwarizmi's influential treatises on calculation methods.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The dating app uses a special algorithm to match people who both like pizza and hate morning jogs.”
“Social media algorithms know what you want to watch before you even know it yourself.”
“The GPS algorithm calculated the fastest route, but it didn't account for my grandmother's driving speed.”
“Students need to understand basic algorithms to succeed in computer science courses.”
📚Related Words
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