fractal meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

fractal

noun

UK, US /ˈfɹæk.təl/

Etymology From French fractal, from Latin fractus (“broken”), perfect passive participle of frangō (“break, fragment”).

Mathematics, Sciences A mathematical set that has a non-integer and constant Hausdorff dimension, corresponding to a geometric figure or object that is self-similar at arbitrarily small scales and thus has infinite complexity.

Broadly An object, system, or idea that exhibits a fractal-like property, such as the property of self-similarity at numerous but not infinitely many scales.

In essence, you are assuming that each segment of a company is a fractal of the whole[…]1999, John J. McGonagle, Carolyn M. Vella, The Internet Age of Competitive Intelligence, →ISBN:

Synonyms: fractal
Derived terms: curlicue fractal, fractal dimension, fractalesque, ice fractal, multifractal
Hypernyms: figure, shape
Hyponyms: Mandelbrot set, Julia set, Koch snowflake, Sierpinski triangle, Menger sponge

fractal

adj

Etymology From French fractal, from Latin fractus (“broken”), perfect passive participle of frangō (“break, fragment”).

Mathematics, Sciences Having the form of a fractal; having to do with fractals.

Romanesco was my gateway cauli and I've never stopped growing it. Not a variety as much as its own thing, Romanesco is a cauliflower to the French, a calabrese to the Italians. […] Visually, it may be the most remarkable thing you can grow: it is made up of lime-green mini-spirals that coil around themselves in fractal formation.2015 January 26, Mark Diacono, “How to grow and cook cauliflower, 2015's trendiest veg: Tricky to grow, boring to boil ... so why is the outmoded cauliflower back at the culinary cutting edge? [print version: Cauliflower power, 24 January 2015, pp. G1 & G3]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Gardening):

Broadly, Figuratively, Sometimes Exhibiting a fractal-like property.

A fractal situation emerges in this way then: the consequences of Ulysses' decision to abandon Calypso are not entirely predictable.2007, Vincent Spina, “Three Central American writers: alone between two cultures”, in Carlota Caulfield, Darién J. Davis, editors, Companion to United States Latino Literatures, →ISBN:

Derived terms: fractal antenna, fractal dimension, fractal flame, fractal response time, fractalist, fractality, fractalization, fractalize, fractally, fractalness, fracton, monofractal, nanofractal, nonfractal, pseudofractal, semifractal, subfractal, superfractal, thermofractal
Related terms: Mandelbrot set, Julia set