connectionism

noun

con·​nec·​tion·​ism kə-ˈnek-shə-ˌni-zəm How to pronounce connectionism (audio)
: a school of cognitive science that holds that human mental processes (such as learning) can be explained by the computational modeling of neural nets which are thought to simulate the actions of interconnected neurons in the brain
connectionist noun

Examples of connectionism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In the nineteen-fifties and sixties, a great deal of excitement had accompanied the Perceptron and other connectionist efforts; enthusiasm for connectionism waned in the years after. Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'connectionism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1981, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of connectionism was in 1981

Dictionary Entries Near connectionism

Cite this Entry

“Connectionism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/connectionism. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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