superposition

American  

[soo-per-puh-zish-uhn] / ˌsu pər pəˈzɪʃ ən /

noun

Geology.

1. the order in which sedimentary strata are superposed one above another.

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superposition British  

/ ˌsuːpəpəˈzɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of superposing or state of being superposed

2. geology the principle that in any sequence of sedimentary rocks which has not been disturbed, the oldest strata lie at the bottom and the youngest at the top

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superposition Scientific  

/ so̅o̅′pər-pə-zĭsh′ən /

1. The principle that in a group of stratified sedimentary rocks the lowest were the earliest to be deposited.

2. The principle by which the description of the state of a physical system can be broken down into descriptions that are themselves possible states of the system. For example, harmonic motion, as of a violin string, can be analyzed as the sum of harmonic frequencies or harmonics, each of which is itself a kind of harmonic motion; harmonic motion is therefore a superposition of individual harmonics.

3. The combination of two or more physical states, such as waves, to form a new physical state in accordance with this principle.

4. See also wave See Note at Schrödinger

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Etymology

Origin of superposition

1790–1800; < French superposition; see super-, position

Example Sentences

When the qubit is taken out of superposition, its value between 1 and 0—representing a probability—is captured.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

Quantum bits, or qubits, have the property of superposition, which is said to be useful for more complex calculations.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 22, 2025

Qubits can exist in both zero and one states at the same time due to a phenomenon called superposition.

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2025

The phenomenon is called superposition and is one of the key ingredients that enable a quantum computer to perform simultaneous calculations, with enormous computing potential as a result.

From Science Daily • Jun. 18, 2024

Their relative age has been determined, as we have indicated above, by their fossils, and also by certain physical tests, the chief of these being superposition.

From Geology by Geikie, James