determinant

noun

de·​ter·​mi·​nant di-ˈtər-mə-nənt 

1

: an element that identifies or determines the nature of something or that fixes or conditions an outcome

education level as a determinant of income

2

mathematics : a square array of numbers bordered on the left and right by a vertical line and having a value equal to the algebraic sum of all possible products where the number of factors in each product is the same as the number of rows or columns, each factor in a given product is taken from a different row and column, and the sign of a product is positive or negative depending upon whether the number of permutations necessary to place the indices representing each factor's position in its row or column in the order of the natural numbers is odd or even

3

genetics : gene

the determinant of the sickle-cell trait

4

biology : epitope

determinantal

di-ˌtər-mə-ˈnan-tᵊl 

adjective

Examples of determinant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

However, the true impact of human behavior in data projects is often ignored—despite being a critical determinant of success or failure. —Nino Letteriello, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025

Our programming is focused not just on the instance of pregnancy but on the whole person — addressing the social determinants of health that significantly influence pregnancy, birth, and parenting experiences. —Dominique Fluker, Essence, 15 Apr. 2025

Pharmaceutical and medical device monitoring, cancer screenings, immunizations, smoking cessation, mental health, drug abuse, social determinants of health, cybersecurity and reproductive rights will all suffer significant and deadly setbacks. —Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2025

Our female employees are dropping out of the workforce in droves, rolling back decades of progress on gender diversity, and the impact is even more detrimental to health equity in our underserved communities with lower social determinants. —Phyllis Ferrell, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see determine

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing determinant

• antigenic determinant

Rhymes for determinant

• impermanent
• permanent
• semipermanent

Kids Definition

determinant

noun

de·​ter·​mi·​nant di-ˈtərm-(ə-)nənt 

: something that determines or influences

Medical Definition

determinant

noun

de·​ter·​mi·​nant di-ˈtərm-(ə-)nənt 

1

a

: a hypothetical aggregate of biophores conceived as comparable to the gene of more recent biological theory

b

: gene

2

: epitope