logarithm

logarithm
\ \ [17] Greek lógos had a remarkably wide spread of meanings, ranging from ‘speech, saying’ to ‘reason, reckoning, calculation’, and ‘ratio’. The more ‘verbal’ end of its spectrum has given English the suffixes -logue and -logy (as in dialogue, tautology, etc), while the ‘reasoning’ component has contributed logic [14] (from the Greek derivative logiké), logistic [17] (from the Greek derivative logistikósof calculation’), and logarithm, coined in the early 17th century by the English mathematician John Napier from Greek logósratio’ and arithmósnumber’ (source of English arithmetic [13]).
\ \ Cf.ARITHMETIC, LOGIC, LOGISTIC

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Logarithm — Log a*rithm (l[o^]g [.a]*r[i^][th] m), n. [Gr. lo gos word, account, proportion + ariqmo s number: cf. F. logarithme.] (Math.) One of a class of auxiliary numbers, devised by John Napier, of Merchiston, Scotland (1550 1617), to abridge… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • logarithm — 1610s, Mod.L. logarithmus, coined by Scottish mathematician John Napier (1550 1617), lit. ratio number, from Gk. logos proportion, ratio, word (see LOGOS (Cf. logos)) + arithmos number (see ARITHMETIC (Cf. arithmetic)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • logarithm — ► NOUN ▪ a quantity representing the power to which a fixed number (the base) must be raised to produce a given number. ORIGIN from Greek logos reckoning, ratio + arithmos number …   English terms dictionary

  • logarithm — [lôg′ə rith΄əm, läg′ə rithəm] n. [ModL logarithmus < Gr logos, a word, proportion, ratio (see LOGIC) + arithmos, number (see ARITHMETIC)] Math. the exponent expressing the power to which a fixed number (the base) must be raised in order to… …   English World dictionary

  • Logarithm — The graph of the logarithm to base 2 crosses the x axis (horizontal axis) at 1 and passes through the points with coordinates (2, 1), (4, 2), and (8, 3) …   Wikipedia

  • logarithm — /law geuh ridh euhm, rith , log euh /, n. Math. the exponent of the power to which a base number must be raised to equal a given number; log: 2 is the logarithm of 100 to the base 10 (2 = log10 100). [1605 15; < NL logarithmus < Gk lóg(os) LOG +… …   Universalium

  • logarithm — n. 1 one of a series of arithmetic exponents tabulated to simplify computation by making it possible to use addition and subtraction instead of multiplication and division. 2 the power to which a fixed number or base ({{}}see BASE(1) 7) must be… …   Useful english dictionary

  • logarithm — n. a common; natural logarithm * * * natural logarithm a common …   Combinatory dictionary

  • logarithm — UK [ˈlɒɡərɪð(ə)m] / US [ˈlɔɡəˌrɪðəm] noun [countable] Word forms logarithm : singular logarithm plural logarithms maths in mathematics, the number of times that a number must be multiplied by itself in order to produce a particular number …   English dictionary

  • logarithm — noun Etymology: New Latin logarithmus, from log + Greek arithmos number more at arithmetic Date: circa 1616 the exponent that indicates the power to which a base number is raised to produce a given number < the logarithm of 100 to the base 10 is… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • logarithm — [17] Greek lógos had a remarkably wide spread of meanings, ranging from ‘speech, saying’ to ‘reason, reckoning, calculation’, and ‘ratio’. The more ‘verbal’ end of its spectrum has given English the suffixes logue and logy (as in dialogue,… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

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