algorithm

al-go-rithm · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A step-by-step procedure or set of rules for solving a problem or accomplishing a task, especially by a computer.

  2. 2.

    A defined set of operations or calculations to be performed.

Forms

plural: algorithms

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    search algorithm — A procedure for finding information in a database.
  • •
    sorting algorithm — A method for arranging data in order.
  • •
    algorithm design — The process of creating efficient procedures.
  • •
    the algorithm — (Informal) The recommendation system of social media platforms.

Related words

See also: code, computation, program
Synonyms: formula, procedure, process

Etymology

From Medieval Latin algorismus, a corruption of the name of the Persian mathematician al-Khwarizmi (c. 780-850), whose treatise on algebra introduced Hindu-Arabic numerals to the West. The modern form was influenced by Greek arithmos ("number").