What does "entropy" mean?
A measure of the disorder present in a system.; A measure of the disorder directly proportional to the natural logarithm of the number of microstates yielding an equivalent thermodynamic macrostate.
Entropy
/ˈɛntɹəpi/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A measure of the disorder present in a system.; A measure of the disorder directly proportional to the natural logarithm of the number of microstates yielding an equivalent thermodynamic macrostate.
- Grammar: entropy is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: abeyance, aloofness, amorphia, amorphism.
- Useful contrasts: aggregation, certainty, ectropy.
- Usage evidence: The highest entropy state is the most likely state of the system.
How to use "entropy"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "entropy" 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?
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- 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 "entropy" in a final draft.
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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 "entropy" 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 "entropy" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 A measure of the disorder present in a system.; A measure of the disorder directly proportional to the natural logarithm of the number of microstates yielding an equivalent thermodynamic macrostate. countable, uncountable
- 2 (thermodynamics) a thermodynamic quantity representing the amount of energy in a system that is no longer available for doing mechanical work wordnet
- 3 A measure of the disorder present in a system.; Shannon entropy countable, uncountable
- 4 (communication theory) a numerical measure of the uncertainty of an outcome wordnet
- 5 A measure of the amount of energy in a physical system that cannot be used to do work. countable
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 The capacity factor for thermal energy that is hidden with respect to temperature. countable, uncountable
- 7 The dispersal of energy; how much energy is spread out in a process, or how widely spread out it becomes, at a specific temperature. countable, uncountable
- 8 A measure of the amount of information and noise present in a signal. countable
- 9 The tendency of a system that is left to itself to descend into chaos. uncountable
Antonyms
Example
"The highest entropy state is the most likely state of the system."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "entropy"?
Common synonyms include: abeyance, aloofness, amorphia, amorphism, amorphousness, anarchy.
How do you use "entropy" in a sentence?
The highest entropy state is the most likely state of the system.
How do you pronounce "entropy"?
Pronounced /ˈɛntɹəpi/.
Etymology
First attested in 1867, as the translation of German Entropie, coined in 1865 by Rudolph Clausius in analogy to Energie (“energy”), replacing the root of Ancient Greek ἔργον (érgon, “work”) by Ancient Greek τροπή (tropḗ, “transformation”)).