field theory

noun

: any theory in physics consisting of a detailed mathematical description of the assumed physical properties of a region under some influence (such as gravitation)

Examples of field theory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Blum received her doctorate at age 25 for developing a new way to apply this high-level perspective to mathematical structures called algebraic field theories. Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 3 Jan. 2024 His textbooks on quantum field theory were a godsend, and his perspectives on the inevitability of quantum field theory and on effective field theory formed the foundation of my picture of the world. Quanta Magazine, 12 Aug. 2021 His reasoning very much follows the Wilsonian effective field theory approach. Sean Carroll, Discover Magazine, 7 Feb. 2012 To fill in that deeper level, Einstein sought a unified field theory, in which particles derive from structures that look nothing like particles. George Musser, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2015 Photograph: Angelika Stehle In 2013, Bacca used this effective field theory to predict how much an excited helium nucleus would swell. WIRED, 10 Aug. 2023 On the first day (yesterday, by now), my favorite talk was by Leonardo Senatore on the effective field theory of inflation. Sean Carroll, Discover Magazine, 19 Apr. 2011 But, strangely, the calculation that came closest used an oversimplified model of the nuclear force—not the chiral effective field theory. WIRED, 10 Aug. 2023 Conformal field theory is a type of quantum field theory that has certain special mathematical properties. Popular Mechanics, 31 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'field theory.' 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

1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of field theory was in 1922

Dictionary Entries Near field theory

Cite this Entry

“Field theory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/field%20theory. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

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