ergodic

adjective

er·​go·​dic (ˌ)ər-ˈgä-dik How to pronounce ergodic (audio) -ˈgō- How to pronounce ergodic (audio)
1
: of or relating to a process in which every sequence or sizable sample is equally representative of the whole (as in regard to a statistical parameter)
2
: involving or relating to the probability that any state will recur
especially : having zero probability that any state will never recur
ergodicity noun

Examples of ergodic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
But others saw the promise of the connection between ergodic theory and combinatorics. Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 5 Dec. 2022 That system is non-ergodic. Evan Coopersmith, Forbes, 26 Aug. 2022 Furstenberg was most interested in something called ergodic theory. Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 5 Dec. 2022 All three were well versed in applying ergodic theory techniques to combinatorics. Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 5 Dec. 2022 But is the link between training load and recovery ergodic? Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 18 Mar. 2022 In technical terms, the difference between the two situations is that the dice data is ergodic, a term coined in the 1870s by the Austrian physicist Ludwig Boltzmann, whereas the typing data is nonergodic. Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 18 Mar. 2022 Results like Roth’s theorem and Szemeredi’s theorem establish bounds on the sizes of these sets and their variations, often using advanced mathematics (like ergodic theory and Fourier transforms) and huge numbers. Quanta Magazine, 7 May 2020 In ergodic theory, mathematicians use observed points and trajectories to form educated hypotheses about what entire systems are doing. Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 19 Mar. 2020

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary erg- + -ode

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ergodic was in 1926

Dictionary Entries Near ergodic

Cite this Entry

“Ergodic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ergodic. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!