optimization
noun
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Optimization started its gradual perfection in mid-19th-century English, when it was derived from optimize, a word first used in the early part of that same century with the meaning "to make the best or most of." In basic applications, optimization refers to the act or process of making something as good as it can be. In the 21st century, it has seen much use in technical contexts having to do with attaining the best possible functionality, as in "network optimization" and "search engine optimization" (SEO). Like the words optimum and optimism (which refer, respectively, to the amount or degree of something that is best or most effective, and to a feeling or belief that good things will happen in the future), optimize and optimization derive from Latin optimus, meaning "best."
Examples of optimization in a Sentence
Alexander Puutio, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
The awards highlight measurable impacts AI delivers in various business operations, including marketing, customer experience, product development and supply chain optimization.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
The academy will also offer free in-person and online courses on project management and manufacturing process optimization.
—Jibin Joseph, PCMAG, 24 Feb. 2025
Performance analytics – Tracks impressions, clicks, conversions, and return on ad spend for continuous optimization.
—Stockstory Team, CNBC, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for optimization
Cite this Entry
“Optimization.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optimization. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
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