plural quanta
ˈkwän-tə 
1
: large, significant
a quantum improvement
2
: of, relating to, or employing the principles of quantum mechanics
quantum physics
Synonyms
Examples of quantum in a Sentence
Noun
the sum of human knowledge is now so immense that even a highly educated person can hope to absorb only a tiny quantum of it
Recent Examples on the Web
Daniel Lidar, The Conversation, 17 Nov. 2023
In August, President Biden issued an executive order curbing U.S. investment in the Chinese semiconductor, quantum computing and artificial intelligence sectors.
—Richard Escobedo, CBS News, 15 Nov. 2023
Prior work found that timing errors could disrupt individual quantum gates.
—IEEE Spectrum, 13 Nov. 2023
And now all of a sudden, you're left with this incredibly, incredibly pure quantum system.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 24 Oct. 2023
Last year, quantum technology start-ups drew $2.35 billion in private investment, according to an analysis by the consulting firm McKinsey, which also projected that the technology could create $1.3 trillion in value within those fields by 2035.
—Zach Montague, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2023
In a computational sense, the circuit wasn’t intrinsically quantum.
—Charlie Wood, Quanta Magazine, 19 Oct. 2023
The key quantum computing element is the qubit, and different groups are betting on different qubits to make quantum computers roar.
—Katherine Wright, Scientific American, 28 Sep. 2023
President Biden also signed a new executive order last month to ban U.S. investments in Chinese semiconductor, quantum technology, and A.I. sectors.
—Bywill Daniel, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2023
Jennifer Ouellette and Sean M. Carroll, Ars Technica, 24 Nov. 2023
As described in my article, the BEC's quantum state acquired a geometric phase of π when it was moved around a Dirac point—a position where two energy bands take on the same value—and a phase of 2π when it was moved around another type of singularity called a quadratic band touching point (QBTP).
—Scientific American, 18 Oct. 2023
The number of elementary logical steps in the quantum part of Regev’s algorithm is proportional to n1.5 when factoring an n-bit number, rather than n2 as in Shor’s algorithm.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 17 Oct. 2023
The prize went to John Clauser, Alain Aspect and Anton Zeilinger for independent works exploring quantum weirdness.
—Katrina Miller, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2023
For another, classical computers can run quantum algorithms in lieu of an actual quantum computer.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 Oct. 2023
This is a pretty wild idea, that our universe could have been formed from the quantum chaos within another universe’s black hole.
—Popular Mechanics, 8 Sep. 2023
Science does deal with things that can’t be observed, such as fundamental particles, quantum wave functions, maybe even other universes.
—Philip Goff, Scientific American, 7 Nov. 2023
Entanglement can theoretically help improve quantum sensors, explains Ana Maria Rey, a quantum physicist at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) and one of the senior authors on the study detailing the new research.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Oct. 2023
See More
Noun
Despite a growing application suite for quantum computing, developing new algorithms that make full use of the quantum advantage – in particular in machine learning – remains a critical area of ongoing research.
—Daniel Lidar, The Conversation, 17 Nov. 2023
In August, President Biden issued an executive order curbing U.S. investment in the Chinese semiconductor, quantum computing and artificial intelligence sectors.
—Richard Escobedo, CBS News, 15 Nov. 2023
Prior work found that timing errors could disrupt individual quantum gates.
—IEEE Spectrum, 13 Nov. 2023
And now all of a sudden, you're left with this incredibly, incredibly pure quantum system.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 24 Oct. 2023
Last year, quantum technology start-ups drew $2.35 billion in private investment, according to an analysis by the consulting firm McKinsey, which also projected that the technology could create $1.3 trillion in value within those fields by 2035.
—Zach Montague, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2023
In a computational sense, the circuit wasn’t intrinsically quantum.
—Charlie Wood, Quanta Magazine, 19 Oct. 2023
The key quantum computing element is the qubit, and different groups are betting on different qubits to make quantum computers roar.
—Katherine Wright, Scientific American, 28 Sep. 2023
President Biden also signed a new executive order last month to ban U.S. investments in Chinese semiconductor, quantum technology, and A.I. sectors.
—Bywill Daniel, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2023
Adjective
The team ends up traveling back in time via the quantum realm to retrieve the stones and bring the other half of the universe back.
—Jennifer Ouellette and Sean M. Carroll, Ars Technica, 24 Nov. 2023
As described in my article, the BEC's quantum state acquired a geometric phase of π when it was moved around a Dirac point—a position where two energy bands take on the same value—and a phase of 2π when it was moved around another type of singularity called a quadratic band touching point (QBTP).
—Scientific American, 18 Oct. 2023
The number of elementary logical steps in the quantum part of Regev’s algorithm is proportional to n1.5 when factoring an n-bit number, rather than n2 as in Shor’s algorithm.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 17 Oct. 2023
The prize went to John Clauser, Alain Aspect and Anton Zeilinger for independent works exploring quantum weirdness.
—Katrina Miller, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2023
For another, classical computers can run quantum algorithms in lieu of an actual quantum computer.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 Oct. 2023
This is a pretty wild idea, that our universe could have been formed from the quantum chaos within another universe’s black hole.
—Popular Mechanics, 8 Sep. 2023
Science does deal with things that can’t be observed, such as fundamental particles, quantum wave functions, maybe even other universes.
—Philip Goff, Scientific American, 7 Nov. 2023
Entanglement can theoretically help improve quantum sensors, explains Ana Maria Rey, a quantum physicist at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) and one of the senior authors on the study detailing the new research.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Oct. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quantum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing quantum
Articles Related to quantum
Dictionary Entries Near quantum
Cite this Entry
“Quantum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quantum. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
Medical Definition
quantum
noun
quan·tum
ˈkwänt-əm
plural quanta
ˈkwänt-ə
1
: one of the very small increments or parcels into which many forms of energy are subdivided
a molecule of rhodopsin in the human eye can cause a response to a single quantum of light
2
: one of the small molecular packets of a neurotransmitter (as acetylcholine) released into the synaptic cleft in the transmission of a nerve impulse across a synapse
More from Merriam-Webster on quantum
Nglish: Translation of quantum for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of quantum for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about quantum
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share