characteristic function

noun

Mathematics.

1. a function defined on a given set, having value 1 for every element of the set and value 0 for every element not contained in the set.

2. characteristic polynomial.

characteristic function

noun

1. maths a function that assigns the value 1 to the members of a given set and the value 0 to its nonmembers

2. statistics a function derived from the probability distribution function that enables the distribution of the sum of given random variables to be analysed

Word History and Origins

Origin of characteristic function¹

First recorded in 1875–80