algorithm

noun

al·​go·​rithm ˈal-gə-ˌri-t͟həm 

: a procedure for solving a mathematical problem (as of finding the greatest common divisor) in a finite number of steps that frequently involves repetition of an operation

broadly : a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem or accomplishing some end

There are several search engines, with Google, Yahoo and Bing being the biggest players. Each search engine has its own proprietary computation (called an "algorithm") that ranks websites for each keyword or combination of keywords.

—Julie Brinton

… sometimes you solve a problem by coming up with an algorithm of some kind. But sometimes you solve a problem in a very ad hoc sort of way.

—William H. Huggins

algorithmic

ˌal-gə-ˈrit͟h-mik 

adjective

algorithmically

ˌal-gə-ˈrit͟h-mi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Did you know?

What Does algorithm Mean?

The current term of choice for a problem-solving procedure, algorithm, is commonly used nowadays for the set of rules a machine (and especially a computer) follows to achieve a particular goal. It does not always apply to computer-mediated activity, however. The term may as accurately be used of the steps followed in making a pizza or solving a Rubik’s Cube as for computer-powered data analysis.

Algorithm is often paired with words specifying the activity for which a set of rules have been designed. A search algorithm, for example, is a procedure that determines what kind of information is retrieved from a large mass of data. An encryption algorithm is a set of rules by which information or messages are encoded so that unauthorized persons cannot read them.

Though first attested in the early 20th century (and, until recently, used strictly as a term of mathematics and computing), algorithm has a surprisingly deep history. It was formed from algorism “the system of Arabic numerals,” a word that goes back to Middle English and ultimately stems from the name of a 9th-century Persian mathematician, abu-Jaʽfar Mohammed ibn-Mūsa al-Khuwārizmi, who did important work in the fields of algebra and numeric systems.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

However, the size and reach of TikTok, along with the rapid-fire nature of its short-form content and its ever-adjusting algorithm, are contributing to the ephemerality of digital trends. —Aj Willingham, CNN, 2 Apr. 2023

The removal of verification badges at such a wide scale has the potential to disrupt systems across Twitter’s website, including its recommendation algorithms, spam filters and help center requests. —Rachel Lerman And Faiz Siddiqui, Anchorage Daily News, 2 Apr. 2023

Google is still at the center of the AI race, though, and its massive data centers filled with computer servers give it an advantage in running the hugely energy-intensive computer programs necessary to train cutting-edge AI algorithms. —Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2023

On paper, the movie sounds like something an algorithm would kick out. —Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2023

Once the sounds were collected, they were analyzed by several AI algorithms which aimed to learn what different sounds meant, and what kind of plants made which sounds. —Jackie Appel, Popular Mechanics, 30 Mar. 2023

Also, as cybersecurity threats become more sophisticated, AI algorithms require diverse and up-to-date data to detect and respond to emerging threats effectively. —Deepak Gupta, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023

That’s just too much for an AI algorithm. —Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 22 Mar. 2023

In this study, Rodell and NASA hydrologist Bailing Li used an algorithm that identified areas above or below average for a period of time by at least 16 percent. —Kasha Patel, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Mar. 2023

See More

Word History

Etymology

alteration of Middle English algorisme, from Old French & Medieval Latin; Old French, from Medieval Latin algorismus, from Arabic al-khuwārizmi, from al-Khwārizmī flourished a.d. 825 Islamic mathematician

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing algorithm

• Euclidean algorithm

• Euclidean algorithm

Kids Definition

algorithm

noun

al·​go·​rithm ˈal-gə-ˌrit͟h-əm 

: a step-by-step method for solving a problem (as finding the greatest common divisor) or accomplishing a goal