Boolean

American  

[boo-lee-uhn] / ˈbu li ən /

adjective

1. pertaining to or being a deductive logical system, as Boolean algebra, used to represent symbolically the relationships between sets, classes, and other entities.

2. Computers. of or relating to a data type having two possible values representing “true” or “false.”

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noun

1. Computers. a Boolean data type.

Etymology

Origin of Boolean

Named after George Boole; see -an

Example Sentences

Boole translated logic into algebra—with an algebra of logic, or Boolean algebra—transforming logic from a philosophical, rule-based system into a mathematical, symbolic one.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

It also makes long-term storage for SDDs, called flash or NAND, which stands for “not and,” a reference from the world of ones, zeros, and Boolean logic.

From Barron's • Jan. 2, 2026

Venn’s success inspired other logicians to try to do the same with Boolean algebra.

From Salon • Jul. 29, 2024

Undergraduate students helped Kadelka develop an algorithm to scan 30 million biomedical journal articles and filter those most likely to include Boolean biological network models.

From Science Daily • Jan. 23, 2024

Boolean algorithms are used in online databases to help narrow down the number of hits using the words AND, OR, and NOT.

From The Online World by De Presno, Odd