algorithm meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

algorithm

noun

UK /ˈalɡəɹɪð(ə)m/ · /ˈælɡəɹɪðm̩/

Etymology From Middle English algorisme, augrym, from Anglo-Norman algorisme, augrim, from Medieval Latin algorismus, from Arabic الخَوَارِزْمِيّ (al-ḵawārizmiyy), the nisba of Persian mathematician Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī and a toponymic name meaning "the Chorasmian". The spelling change (-s- > -th-) was influenced by unrelated Ancient Greek ἀριθμός (arithmós) (whence English arithmo-).

A collection of ordered steps that solve a mathematical problem. A precise step-by-step plan for a computational procedure that possibly begins with an input value and yields an output value in a finite number of steps.

Informally, an algorithm is any well-defined computational procedure that takes some value, or set of values, as input and produces some value, or set of values, as output. An algorithm is thus a sequence of computational steps that transform the input into the output.1990, Cormen, Leiserson, and Rivest, Introduction to Algorithms: page 1. Cambridge, MA, The MIT Press, 1999 (23rd printing)
Mark Zuckerberg: No, I need the algorithm you used to rank chess players. / Eduardo Saverin: Are you OK? / Mark Zuckerberg: We're ranking girls.2010, Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network:

3 more examples

The use of algorithms in policing is one example of their increasing influence on our lives. And, as their ubiquity spreads, so too does the debate around whether we should allow ourselves to become so reliant on them – and who, if anyone, is policing their use.2013 July 26, Leo Hickman, “How algorithms rule the world”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 7, archived from the original on 28 Apr 2021, page 26:
It’s a computer – an algorithm – and if you’ve been in Iran lately, they take you out of the system.2018 June 25, Sam Jones, “Ex-Nato chief refused visa waiver to US because of Iran trips”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 20 Dec 2019:
Together, the Masons craft a new algorithm to make an end-run around Axe’s sabotage — or so they want him to believe. With the help of a surveillance photo procured by his dirty-deeds specialist Hall (Terry Kinney), Axe has a copy of the algo he spends a full day attempting to decipher before realizing it has a mistake.2019 March 31, Sean T. Collins, “‘Billions’ Season 4, Episode 3: Hurts So Good”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 11 Dec 2019:

Broadly A flowchart illustrating a decision-making process for human users, especially health care professionals.

This retrospective observational analysis evaluated BP [blood pressure] control in an entirely remote management program before and during the pandemic. A team of pharmacists, nurse practitioners, physicians, and nonlicensed navigators used an evidence‐based clinical algorithm to optimize hypertensive treatment. The algorithm was adapted during the pandemic to simplify BP control.2023, Lee SG, Blood AJ, Cannon CP, Gordon WJ, Nichols H, Zelle D, Scirica BM, Fisher NDL, “Remote cardiovascular hypertension program enhanced blood pressure control during the COVID-19 pandemic”, in J Am Heart Assoc, volume 12, number 6, →DOI, →PMID, page e027296:

Obsolete Calculation with Arabic numerals; algorism.

› recommender systems and the curation of feeds

Metonymically software that makes content display determinations on a platform, in totality of effect upon all end users (within a potential audience).

Social media; usually preceded by definite article "the"; usually preceded by definite article "the"

Broadly, Informal, Metonymically, Of above the influenced zeitgeist: e.g. what content ends up trending or viral, what persons become a main character or cancelled

Glover began his acceptance speech by saying, “First, I want to thank the great algorithm that put us all here.”2018 February 26, Tad Friend, quoting Donald Glover, “Donald Glover Can’t Save You”, in The New Yorker:

Informal, Metonymically the actual personalized selections of content seen by specific user(s), the microtargeting to which they are subject

Social media; usually preceded by a possessive determiner; usually preceded by a possessive determiner

… you and I probably didn't run across that in our algorithm, but that doesn't mean that a lot of people aren't gonna run across garbage like that in their algorithms in the next couple weeks…2024 October 23, Ben Rhodes, “Trump Blames Zelensky for War, Sucks Up to Saudis” (23:52 from the start), in Pod Save the World (podcast):

Derived terms: algocracy, algorethics, algorithmist, algorithmocracy, autoalgorithm, multialgorithm, polyalgorithm, subalgorithm, superalgorithm
Related terms: algebra, algocracy, algorism, algorist, algorithmic, algorithmically, algorithmics, algorithmist, algorithmization, algorithmize, algorithmocracy, algorithmophile, algorithmophobe, autoalgorithm, multialgorithm, polyalgorithm, subalgorithm, data structure, flow chart, function, program
Hyponyms: 106 terms
approximation algorithm, Baeza-Yates-Gonnet algorithm, Baeza-Yates–Gonnet algorithm, Baum-Welch algorithm, Bellman-Ford algorithm, Bitap algorithm, Borůvka's algorithm, Boyer-Moore-Horspool algorithm, Bresenham's algorithm, British Museum algorithm, Buchberger's algorithm, Chaitin's algorithm, checksum algorithm, classification algorithm, Cohen-Sutherland algorithm, compression algorithm, computer arithmetic algorithm, Cooley-Tukey algorithm, Cyrus–Beck algorithm, Davis-Putnam algorithm, Day-Stout-Warren algorithm, diamond-square algorithm, Dijkstra's algorithm, distributed algorithm, divide and conquer algorithm, DJP algorithm, doomsday algorithm, Douglas-Peucker algorithm, Eppstein's algorithm, Euclidean algorithm, Euclid's algorithm, extended Euclidean algorithm, Fiduccia-Mattheyses algorithm, Flajolet-Martin algorithm, Floyd-Warshall algorithm, forward-backward algorithm, Gale-Shapley algorithm, Gale–Church algorithm, genetic algorithm, Gibbs algorithm, Girvan-Newman algorithm, God's algorithm, Gosper's algorithm, greedy algorithm, Grover's algorithm, hash algorithm, Hopcroft's algorithm, Horspool's algorithm, Jarník's algorithm, Johnson's algorithm, Kadane's algorithm, Kahan summation algorithm, Karatsuba algorithm, Kernighan-Lin algorithm, Knuth-Bendix completion algorithm, Knuth-Morris-Pratt algorithm, Kociemba's algorithm, Korf's algorithm, Kosaraju's algorithm, Kruskal's algorithm, Lanczos algorithm, Las Vegas algorithm, Lee algorithm, Lesk algorithm, Liang–Barsky algorithm, Luhn algorithm, memetic algorithm, Metropolis-Hastings algorithm, Nagle's algorithm, Nicholl–Lee–Nicholl algorithm, painter's algorithm, parallel algorithm, Peterson's algorithm, Pollard's rho algorithm, Prim-Dijkstra algorithm, Prim-Jarník algorithm, Prim's algorithm, Quine-McCluskey algorithm, Rabin-Karp algorithm, Ramer-Douglas-Peucker algorithm, randomized algorithm, Reingold-Tilford algorithm, Remez algorithm, Rete algorithm, Sattolo's algorithm, Schensted algorithm, Schönhage-Strassen algorithm, semi-algorithm, sequential algorithm, Shor's algorithm, shunting-yard algorithm, SMAWK algorithm, spigot algorithm, Strassen algorithm, Suurballe's algorithm, Tarjan's algorithm, Tarski-Kuratowski algorithm, Thistlethwaite's algorithm, time algorithm, Toom-Cook algorithm, Viterbi algorithm, Volder's algorithm, wake-sleep algorithm, Warnock algorithm, Warnock's algorithm, ziggurat algorithm
Coordinate terms: pseudoalgorithm