algorithm
Say it: AL-guh-rith-um /ˈalɡərɪð(ə)m/ · noun
What “algorithm” means
A set of steps for solving a problem.
More precisely: A step-by-step set of rules for solving a problem, especially by a computer.
Example: “The app's algorithm noticed I watch cooking videos at midnight and now shows nothing else.”
When to use it
In computing or practical explanations, for precise instructions that tell you how to complete a task or find an answer.
Similar words
procedure, formula, method
Where it comes from
From the name of al-Khwārizmī, a 9th-century Persian mathematician.
Quick check
A robot sorts parcels by checking size, choosing a shelf, then repeating those steps for every parcel. What does it follow?
an algorithm or an estimate?
Show the answer
an algorithm
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