chaotic

adjective

cha·ot·ic | \ kā-ˈä-tik

Definition of chaotic

1 : marked by chaos or being in a state of chaos : completely confused or disordered a chaotic political race After he became famous, his life became even more chaotic. They may look chaotic and barbaric, but scrums are a critical and strategic part of the game, and they unfold and escalate according to hockey's venerated, unwritten rules of engagement.— David Fleming To the uninitiated visitor, the seemingly chaotic energy of a typical Thai market may give the impression of a free-for-all, …— Diane Ruengsom

2 mathematics : having outcomes that can vary widely due to extremely small changes in initial conditions In other words, what comes out of the program's equations is extremely sensitive to what goes in. And that, as any mathematician would recognize, is one of the hallmarks of chaotic systems.— Ingrid Wickelgren A physical system—a weather system, say—is chaotic if a very slight change in initial conditions sends the system off on a very different course. — Physics Today

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Last Updated

23 Apr 2019

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The first known use of chaotic was in 1688

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chaotic

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of chaotic

: in a state of complete confusion or disorder

See the full definition for chaotic in the English Language Learners Dictionary

chaotic

adjective

cha·ot·ic | \ kā-ˈä-tik\

Kids Definition of chaotic

: in a state of or characterized by complete confusion and disorder Everyone descended on the table in a chaotic flurry, knocking over glasses and sending forks onto the floor …— Sharon Creech, Walk Two Moons