What does "determinant" mean?
A determining factor; an element that determines the nature of something.
Determinant
/dɪˈtɝmɪnənt/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A determining factor; an element that determines the nature of something.
- Grammar: determinant is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: adjective of quantity, affect outcome, affect variable, affecting understanding.
- Useful contrasts: anestrus, chance, perm.
- Usage evidence: There are eight gluons. Six--modulo superposition--are sensible color-anticolor color swappers. The other two are fathomless mixtures that can only be described as the remaining linearly independent elements of the group of three-by-three complex unitary matrices with determinant one.
How to use "determinant"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "determinant" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
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- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "determinant" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "determinant" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "determinant" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "adjective of quantity" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A determining factor; an element that determines the nature of something.
"1999, Noah P. Barsky, Stuart Bruchey (editor), Organizational Determinants of Budgetary Influence and Involvement, Taylor & Francis (Garland Publishing), page 4, Shields and Young (1993) argue that the budget participation literature "has not produced a coherent nor unified definition" of both the determinants and consequences of budget participation."
- 2 a determining or causal element or factor wordnet
- 3 A scalar that encodes certain characteristics of a given transformation matrix; the unique scalar function over square matrices which is distributive over matrix multiplication, multilinear in the rows and columns, and takes the value 1 for the unit matrix; abbreviated as: det.
"1966 [Allyn & Bacon], Howard Whitley Eves, Elementary Matrix Theory, 1980, Dover, Unabridged corrected republication, page 165, The determinant of a square matrix A_(n) is a function (actually a polynomial function) of the elements a_ij of A."
- 4 a square matrix used to solve simultaneous equations wordnet
- 5 A substance that causes a cell to adopt a particular fate.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 the site on the surface of an antigen molecule to which an antibody attaches itself wordnet
- 7 Something that causes a nuclease to cut at a specified point
Adjective
- 1 Serving to determine or limit; determinative.
Adjective
- 1 having the power or quality of deciding wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"There are eight gluons. Six--modulo superposition--are sensible color-anticolor color swappers. The other two are fathomless mixtures that can only be described as the remaining linearly independent elements of the group of three-by-three complex unitary matrices with determinant one."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "determinant"?
Common synonyms include: adjective of quantity, affect outcome, affect variable, affecting understanding, agency, all of.
How do you use "determinant" in a sentence?
There are eight gluons. Six--modulo superposition--are sensible color-anticolor color swappers. The other two are fathomless mixtures that can only be described as the remaining linearly independent elements of the group of three-by-three complex unitary matrices with determinant one.
How do you pronounce "determinant"?
Pronounced /dɪˈtɝmɪnənt/.
Etymology
Borrowed from French déterminant, equivalent to determine + -ant.