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 — [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