information theory
noun
: a theory that deals statistically with information, with the measurement of its content in terms of its distinguishing essential characteristics or by the number of alternatives from which it makes a choice possible, and with the efficiency of processes of communication between humans and machines
Examples of information theory in a Sentence
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Meanwhile, Claude Shannon, who created information theory at Bell Labs in 1948, worked on a standard professional salary while creating the mathematical foundation for all modern communication.
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ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2025
To understand how questions help cut through complexity, consider Shannon’s Theorem, which was created by Claude Shannon, the father of information theory.
—Bob Pearson, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
In 1951, Claude Shannon—founder of the field of information theory—used humans to determine the variability of language in order to come to an estimate of its entropy.
—Irena Hwang, IEEE Spectrum, 6 Oct. 2021
Classical information theory, developed by the telecommunications researcher Claude Shannon in the 1940s and later elaborated by the Russian mathematician Andrey Kolmogorov, offers one answer.
—Philip Ball, Wired News, 8 June 2025
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ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2025
To understand how questions help cut through complexity, consider Shannon’s Theorem, which was created by Claude Shannon, the father of information theory.
—Bob Pearson, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
In 1951, Claude Shannon—founder of the field of information theory—used humans to determine the variability of language in order to come to an estimate of its entropy.
—Irena Hwang, IEEE Spectrum, 6 Oct. 2021
Classical information theory, developed by the telecommunications researcher Claude Shannon in the 1940s and later elaborated by the Russian mathematician Andrey Kolmogorov, offers one answer.
—Philip Ball, Wired News, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for information theory
Cite this Entry
“Information theory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/information%20theory. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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