imaginary part

noun

: the part of a complex number (such as 3i in 2 + 3i) that has the imaginary unit as a factor

Examples of imaginary part 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.
Complex numbers can be plotted on a plane, with the real part on the x-axis and the imaginary part on the y-axis. Jordana Cepelewicz, WIRED, 4 Aug. 2024 The x coordinate corresponds to the real part and the y coordinate to the imaginary part: The complex zeta function that Riemann investigated can be visualized as a landscape above the plane. Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 1 July 2024 The new paper shows that treating the system as real requires introducing extra information that usually resides in the imaginary part of the wave function. Quanta Magazine, 3 Mar. 2021 In this solution, known as the Argand (or complex) plane, the location of every point is the sum of a real part for its horizontal distance and an imaginary part for its vertical distance from the origin. Quanta Magazine, 14 Feb. 2019 Complex numbers are made up of a real part and an imaginary part. Quanta Magazine, 25 Oct. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1747, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of imaginary part was in 1747

Dictionary Entries Near imaginary part

Cite this Entry

“Imaginary part.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imaginary%20part. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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