Hamiltonian

1 of 2

noun (1)

Ham·​il·​to·​ni·​an ˌha-məl-ˈtō-nē-ən How to pronounce Hamiltonian (audio)
: a function that is used to describe a dynamic system (such as the motion of a particle) in terms of components of momentum and coordinates of space and time and that is equal to the total energy of the system when time is not explicitly part of the function compare lagrangian

Hamiltonianism

2 of 2

noun (2)

Ham·​il·​to·​ni·​an·​ism ˌha-məl-ˈtō-nē-ə-ˌni-zəm How to pronounce Hamiltonianism (audio)
: the political principles and ideas held by or associated with Alexander Hamilton that center around a belief in a strong central government, broad interpretation of the federal constitution, encouragement of an industrial and commercial economy, and a general distrust of the political capacity or wisdom of the common man
Hamiltonian adjective or noun

Examples of Hamiltonian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
For one thing, as temperatures drop, the new algorithm becomes slower and requires a larger sample size to effectively compute the Hamiltonian. Quanta Magazine, 1 May 2024 There Is a Secret Hamiltonian in the White House Fine, Call It a Comeback Why Haley Voters Should Support Biden Who Needs Paper? New York Times, 10 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Sir William Hamilton †1865 Irish mathematician

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1926, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1901, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Hamiltonian was in 1901

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hamiltonian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Hamiltonian. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on Hamiltonian

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster