Occam's razor

Oc·cam's razor

noun \ˈä-kəmz-\

Definition of OCCAM'S RAZOR

: a scientific and philosophic rule that entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily which is interpreted as requiring that the simplest of competing theories be preferred to the more complex or that explanations of unknown phenomena be sought first in terms of known quantities

Variants of OCCAM'S RAZOR

Oc·cam's razor also Ock·ham's razor \ˈä-kəmz-\

Origin of OCCAM'S RAZOR

William of Occam

First Known Use: circa 1837