deterministic
|de-ter-min-is-tic|
🇺🇸
/dɪˌtɝːməˈnɪstɪk/
🇬🇧
/ˌdɛtəˌmɪˈnɪstɪk/
fixed by cause / no randomness
Etymology
'deterministic' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'determinare', where 'de-' meant 'completely/from' and 'terminare' meant 'to set bounds or limit'.
'determinare' gave rise to Medieval/Modern Latin forms and the verb 'determine' in Old French/English; the noun 'determinism' was formed in English, and the adjective 'deterministic' was later created by adding the suffix '-ic' to convey 'relating to determinism'.
Initially it meant 'to set limits or boundaries'; over time the related terms came to express the idea that events are fixed or caused in a way that leads to the current meaning 'characterized by fixed outcomes (no randomness)'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to determinism: the view that events (including human actions) are completely determined by prior causes; implying inevitability or preordination.
The philosopher argued that human actions are deterministic and follow causal laws.
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Adjective 2
in mathematics and computer science: having no randomness; producing the same output for the same input (i.e., fully specified behavior).
A deterministic algorithm will always produce the same result given the same input.
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Last updated: 2025/11/04 13:25