algorithm
algorithm Lexical Profile
algorithm Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A finite, step-by-step set of rules or instructions designed to solve a specific problem or perform a computation, especially by a computer.
"The software engineers developed a new sorting algorithm that processes large datasets in a fraction of the time."
An automated system used by a search engine or social media platform to rank, filter, and recommend content to users based on their behavior and preferences.
"Independent creators often adjust their posting schedules to ensure their videos are favored by the platform's recommendation algorithm."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse an 'algorithm' (a guaranteed, deterministic step-by-step procedure) with a 'heuristic' (a practical rule-of-thumb or shortcut that finds a good enough solution quickly without guaranteeing optimality).
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Alteration of Middle English 'algorisme', from Old French and Medieval Latin 'algorismus', a transliteration of the surname of the 9th-century Persian mathematician Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī; the modern spelling was reshaped by association with the Greek 'arithmos' ('number').