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Hamiltonian

[ ham-uhl-toh-nee-uhn ]
/ ˌhæm əlˈtoʊ ni ən /
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adjective
pertaining to or advocating Hamiltonianism.
noun
a supporter of Alexander Hamilton or Hamiltonianism.

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Origin of Hamiltonian

An Americanism dating back to 1790–1800; Hamilton + -ian
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Hamiltonian in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for Hamiltonian

Hamiltonian
/ (ˌhæməlˈtəʊnɪən) physics maths /

noun
a mathematical function of the coordinates and momenta of a system of particles used to express their equations of motion
a mathematical operator that generates such a functionSymbol: H
adjective
denoting or relating to Sir William Rowan Hamilton, or to the theory of mechanics or mathematical operator devised by him
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

Scientific definitions for Hamiltonian

Hamiltonian
[ hăm′əl-tōnē-ən ]

A mathematical function or operator that can be used to describe the state of a physical system. In classical mechanics, the Hamiltonian is a function of coordinates and momenta of bodies in the system, treated as independent variables. It is equal to the sum of the kinetic and potential energies of the system, and can be used to derive the equations of motion for the system. In quantum mechanics, the Hamiltonian is an operator corresponding to the total energy of the system. The Hamiltonian is named after Irish mathematician William Rowan Hamilton (1805-1865).
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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