determinant
UK /dɪˈtɜːmɪnənt/ · US /dɪˈtɝmɪnənt/ noun, adjective
Forms determinants
- noun A determining factor; an element that determines the nature of something.
- noun (linear algebra) A scalar that encodes certain characteristics of a given transformation matrix; the unique scalar function over square matrices which is distributive over matrix multiplication, multilinear in the rows and columns, and takes the value 1 for the unit matrix; abbreviated as: det.
- noun (biology) A substance that causes a cell to adopt a particular fate.
- noun (genetics) Something that causes a nuclease to cut at a specified point
- adjective Serving to determine or limit; determinative.
Synonyms
determiner determinative determining factor causal factor antigenic determinant epitope deciding determining
Etymology
Borrowed from French déterminant, equivalent to determine + -ant.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Serving to determine or limit; determinative.
- noun That which serves to determine; that which causes determination.
- noun The sum of a series of products of several numbers, these products being formed according to certain specified laws; thus, the determinant of the nine numbers. a, b, c,a', b', c',a'\'b7, b'\'b7, c'\'b7, is a b' c'\'b7 --a b'\'b7 c' + a' b'\'b7 c] --a' b c'\'b7 + a'\'b7 b' c. The determinant is written by placing the numbers from which it is formed in a square between two vertical lines. The theory of determinants forms a very important branch of modern mathematics.
Etymology [L. determinans, p. pr. of determinare: cf. F. déterminant.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “determinant”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details