determinant

[ dih-tur-muh-nuhnt ]
See synonyms for: determinantdeterminants on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a determining agent or factor.

  2. Mathematics. an algebraic expression of the sum of products of elements, each with an appropriate algebraic sign, usually written in a square array and used in the solution of systems of linear equations.

  1. Also called antigenic determinant, ep·i·tope [ep-i-tohp] /ˈɛp ɪˌtoʊp/ .Immunology. any site on an antigen molecule at which an antibody can bind, the chemical structure of the site determining the specific combining antibody.

  2. Genetics Archaic. a gene.

Origin of determinant

1
First recorded in 1600–10; from Latin dēterminant- (stem of dētermināns ), present participle of dētermināre; see determine, -ant

Other words from determinant

  • non·de·ter·mi·nant, noun

Words Nearby determinant

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use determinant in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for determinant

determinant

/ (dɪˈtɜːmɪnənt) /


adjective
  1. serving to determine or affect

noun
  1. a factor, circumstance, etc, that influences or determines

  2. maths a square array of elements that represents the sum of certain products of these elements, used to solve simultaneous equations, in vector studies, etc: Compare matrix (def. 9)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012