exponential
[ ek-spoh-nen-shuh l, -spuh- ]
/ ˌɛk spoʊˈnɛn ʃəl, -spə- /
adjective
of or relating to an exponent or exponents.
Mathematics.
- of or relating to the constant e.
- (of an equation) having one or more unknown variables in one or more exponents.
rising or expanding at a steady and usually rapid rate:a city experiencing exponential growth.
noun
Mathematics.
- the constant e raised to the power equal to a given expression, as e3x, which is the exponential of 3x.
- any positive constant raised to a power.
Nearby words
Related forms
ex·po·nen·tial·ly, adverbnon·ex·po·nen·tial, adjectivenon·ex·po·nen·tial·ly, adverbDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for exponential
British Dictionary definitions for exponential
exponential
/ (ˌɛkspəʊˈnɛnʃəl) /
adjective
maths (of a function, curve, series, or equation) of, containing, or involving one or more numbers or quantities raised to an exponent, esp e x
maths raised to the power of e, the base of natural logarithmsSymbol: exp
of or involving an exponent or exponents
informal very rapid
noun
maths an exponential function, etc
Derived Forms
exponentially, adverbCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Science definitions for exponential
exponential
[ ĕk′spə-nĕn′shəl ]
Relating to a mathematical expression containing one or more exponents.♦ Something is said to increase or decrease exponentially if its rate of change must be expressed using exponents. A graph of such a rate would appear not as a straight line, but as a curve that continually becomes steeper or shallower.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.