Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

See What's Trending Now See More Trending Words
1

scalar

adjective sca·lar \ ˈskā-lər , -ˌlär \

Definition of scalar

1 :having an uninterrupted series of steps :graduated
  • scalar chain of authority
  • scalar cells
2 a :capable of being represented by a point on a scale
  • scalar quantity
b :of or relating to a scalar or scalar product
  • scalar multiplication

See scalar defined for kids

From the M-W Editors

alt-59e50f5a357b4
'Spox' May Go On The Record
tycoon
17 English Words that Come From Japanese
alt-59e60c9d3e5ea
Trending: McCain: Half-Baked, 'Spurious' Nationalism
video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Origin and Etymology of scalar

Latin scalaris, from scalae stairs, ladder — more at scale

2

scalar

noun

Definition of scalar

1 :a real number rather than a vector
2 :a quantity (such as mass or time) that has a magnitude describable by a real number and no direction

First Known Use of scalar

1846

Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms

abscissa, denominator, divisor, equilateral, exponent, hypotenuse, logarithm, oblique, radii, rhomb

Learn More about scalar

  1. See words that rhyme with scalar Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about scalar

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up scalar? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

euphony

play

pleasing or sweet sound

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. spurious of a deceitful nature or quality

  2. righteous We provide an assortment of definitions

  3. Kafkaesque 'A nightmarish quality'

  4. mike "microphone"

  5. moron “a very stupid person”

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

scalar

Test Your Vocabulary

Forms of Government Quiz

  • knupfer-painting-solon-before-croesus
  • A gerontocracy is rule by:
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Dictionary Devil

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

alt-59e50f5a357b4
'Spox' May Go On The Record

From newsroom lingo to the mainstream

alt-59e506c5c02ae
C'mon, Of Course 'Myriad' Is a Noun

For a myriad of reasons

alt-59e12097b419d
'Gamut' and 'Gambit' (and 'Gauntlet' Too)

Know when to use (or run) each.

tycoon
17 English Words that Come From Japanese

Some borrowed words don't get returned

Ask the Editors

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

payday
How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless
Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals
Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

knupfer-painting-solon-before-croesus
Forms of Government Quiz

Name that government! Or something like that.

Take the quiz
rembrandt-painting-a-young-scholar-and-his-tutor
Original Meanings Quiz

A quiz for the pedantic and those annoyed by them!

Take the quiz
Name That Thing
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

Take the quiz
Dictionary Devil
Dictionary Devil

The dictionary has been scrambled—can you put it back together?

Play the game