algorithm

American  

[al-guh-rith-uhm] / ˈæl gəˌrɪð əm /

noun

1. Mathematics. a set of rules for solving a problem in a finite number of steps, such as the Euclidean algorithm for finding the greatest common divisor.

2. Computers. an ordered set of instructions recursively applied to transform data input into processed data output, such as a mathematical solution, search engine result, descriptive statistics, or predictive text suggestions.

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algorithm British  

/ ˈælɡəˌrɪðəm /

noun

1. a logical arithmetical or computational procedure that if correctly applied ensures the solution of a problem Compare heuristic

2. logic maths a recursive procedure whereby an infinite sequence of terms can be generated

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algorithm Scientific  

/ ăl′gə-rĭth′əm /

1. A finite set of unambiguous instructions performed in a prescribed sequence to achieve a goal, especially a mathematical rule or procedure used to compute a desired result. Algorithms are the basis for most computer programming.

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algorithm Cultural  

1. A set of instructions for solving a problem, especially on a computer. An algorithm for finding your total grocery bill, for example, would direct you to add up the costs of individual items to find the total.

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Usage

What is an algorithm? An algorithm is a set of instructions or rules that can be followed to solve a problem. Algorithms are most commonly used in mathematics and computing, and they can often be very complex or have many steps or sets of instructions. For example, your teacher asks you to add 537 and 162. You might solve the problem by lining up 162 under 537 and adding the columns of numbers together. You add the 7 and 2 in the ones column to get 9, Next, you add the numbers in the tens column (3 and 6) to get 9. Finally, you add 5 and 1 in the hundreds column and get 6. Your answer, then, is 699. You have followed an addition algorithm to find the solution. In computing, a computer coder will create a set of instructions (the algorithm) that a computer or artificial intelligence will use to solve a problem or will consult in order to achieve a goal. Let’s say you spend the day watching Star Wars videos on YouTube. With each video you watch, the website will recommend other videos it thinks you will like. How does it know what you like? It runs an algorithm that finds videos that are similar to the ones you’ve already watched. If Darth Vader shows up in a video of a car commercial, YouTube will likely recommend it to you to watch because Vader was in a lot of the Star Wars videos you’ve already watched.

Other Word Forms

• algorithmic adjective
• algorithmically adverb

Etymology

Origin of algorithm

First recorded in 1690–1700; variant of algorism ( def. ), by association with Greek arithmós “number”; arithmetic ( def. )

Explanation

Whether you are doing simple multiplication or a complicated calculus problem, you must use a predetermined set of rules, called an algorithm, to solve it. An algorithm includes a finite number of steps to solve any given problem. The word algorithm has an unusual backstory. It seems the 9th Century Persian mathematician Al-Khwārizmī wrote about calculations, and when his work was translated into Latin 300 years later, his name was somehow incorporated into the name of the process as Algoritmi. This got confused with the Greek word for number, arithmos, leading to the evolution of the word as we know it. It's a mish-mash, ironic for a word that stands for a rather rigid set of rules.

Example Sentences

This is splashy entertainment with a few sharp elbows, like when Arthur grins, saying that “the algorithm loves remakes.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

In 2021, Dave led photo editing for a Journal series on TikTok's algorithm, which was recognized for first place in the 2021 Philip Meyer Journalism Awards and received an SND Award of Excellence–Investigative.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

You cannot compress a barrel of oil with an algorithm.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

They relied on a computer algorithm to detect tiny, repeated dips in starlight that occur when a planet passes in front of its star.

From Science Daily • Apr. 4, 2026

Once she created her own algorithm to sort out the irrelevant photos from the streetcams, she had a full complement of surveillance videos.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

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