What does algorithm mean?
An algorithm is a finite, precisely defined sequence of steps or rules designed to solve a specific problem or perform a particular task. The concept is central to mathematics and computer science, where algorithms are written as programs that computers execute — from sorting a list of names to recommending videos online. The word derives from the Latinized name of the ninth-century Persian mathematician al-Khwārizmī, whose works introduced Hindu-Arabic numerals and systematic calculation to Europe. Although originally associated with arithmetic procedures, the modern meaning broadened in the twentieth century alongside the rise of computing. Today, 'algorithm' also carries cultural weight: phrases like 'the algorithm' colloquially refer to the opaque systems that curate social media feeds and search results, giving the word connotations ranging from technical precision to mild public suspicion about automated decision-making. Its adjective form is 'algorithmic', and its standard plural is 'algorithms'.
nounA finite sequence of well-defined instructions or rules for solving a problem or performing a computation, typically expressed in a form that can be carried out mechanically or by a computer.
- A precise, finite set of steps or rules for solving a problem or accomplishing a task, especially one executable by a computer.
- (More broadly) Any systematic procedure or method for achieving a defined outcome.
"The search engine's ranking algorithm determines which results appear first."
"Google's PageRank algorithm revolutionized web search by ranking pages based on the links pointing to them."
"Bakers follow an algorithm of sorts: mix, knead, proof, and bake — each step in a fixed order to get consistent bread."
Standard pluralization; no irregular forms exist.
"Machine learning engineers compare multiple algorithms before selecting the best model for the task."
The word 'algorithm' comes from the name of a ninth-century Persian mathematician, al-Khwārizmī — so every time your phone unlocks with face recognition, you're using a term invented over 1,200 years ago.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of algorithm
The word 'algorithm' traces back to the name of Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī, a ninth-century Persian mathematician whose treatises on algebra and arithmetic were translated into Latin in medieval Europe. Medieval Europeans referred to decimal calculation as 'algorism', derived from his Latinized name (Algorismus). Over time the spelling shifted under the influence of Greek-derived words like 'arithmetic' and 'logarithm' to become 'algorithm', and by the nineteenth century it had acquired its modern sense of a general computational procedure, which solidified with the development of computer science in the twentieth century.
Related word forms
How algorithm is actually used
Neutral-to-technical register; common in computing, mathematics, and increasingly in everyday discourse about social media feeds and automated decision-making. In popular usage, 'the algorithm' often refers metonymically to recommendation systems on platforms like TikTok or YouTube. Plural is 'algorithms'.
Easily confused with algorithm
A logarithm is a mathematical function expressing the power to which a base must be raised to produce a number, whereas an algorithm is a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem; the two share a similar spelling but entirely different meanings.
Algorism is the older term for the decimal system of arithmetic using Arabic numerals, from which 'algorithm' developed, but it refers specifically to calculation with numerals rather than any general problem-solving procedure.