algorithm
noun
Simple meaning
A collection of ordered steps that solve a mathematical problem.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
algerihthuhmSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈælɡɚɪðəm
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
countable
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.
social mediametonymic
Recommender systems and the curation of feeds
usually preceded by definite article "the"
Software that makes content display determinations on a platform, in totality of effect upon all end users (within a potential audience).
loosely
A flowchart illustrating a decision-making process for human users, especially health care professionals.
informalusually preceded by a possessive determiner
The actual personalized selections of content seen by specific user(s), the microtargeting to which they are subject
informalby extension of above
The influenced zeitgeist: e.g. what content ends up trending or viral, what persons become a main character or cancelled
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A2 · Elementary (estimated)
- Frequency
- Common
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: 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.
Used this way, algorithm is a specialist word with a clearly warm, approving pull. This is a mathematical use: it is defined precisely and belongs to working with figures and calculations rather than to ordinary conversation.
- Emotional tone
- Positive
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Gentle
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Careful and exacting
- Usage feel
- Clinical and detached
Where it naturally appears
- Mathematics
- Geometry
- Academic writing
- Education/classroom
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use algorithm
- “The search engine uses a complex algorithm to show results.”
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Collection / precise
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Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
Related to 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…
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Error resulting from the choice of the wrong algorithm or method for achieving the intended result.
An algorithm for sorting a list.
An algorithm for removing inflectional and derivational endings in order to reduce word forms to a common stem.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
An artificial language designed to express algorithms.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
- computeverb
- iterationnoun
- polynomialnoun
- computationnoun
- integernoun
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Words can change meaning depending on context.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.