Category: TechnologyPart of speech: nounDifficulty: Intermediate

algorithm

/ˈæl.ɡə.rɪ.ðəm/Roman

English meaning: Algorithm

English Definition

(English)

An algorithm (named after the 9th-century Persian mathematician Al-Khwarizmi) is a precise, finite sequence of instructions for performing a computation. Algorithm efficiency is measured by time complexity (how computation time scales with input size) and space complexity (memory usage). Modern society runs on algorithms — search engines, social media feeds, financial markets, medical diagnostics all depend on algorithmic decision-making.

English Definition

A step-by-step procedure or set of rules for solving a problem or accomplishing a task. Algorithms are the foundational concept of computer science — they determine how computers process information, from simple sorting to complex machine learning models.

Example

Google's PageRank algorithm, which ranks web pages by the number and quality of links pointing to them, transformed how humanity accesses information.

In English: Google's PageRank algorithm revolutionised information access by ranking pages by link authority.

Synonyms

  • procedure
  • computational method
  • step-by-step process

Literary Heritage

Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?

Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?

T.S. Eliot · Poet / Critic · 20th century

The Rock

The Rock, Chorus I, 1934

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