English Explanatory Dictionary

heuristic

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. That employs a practical method not guaranteed to be optimal or perfect; either not following or derived from any theory, or based on an advisedly oversimplified one.
  2. That provides a useful, but not optimal, solution to a problem. Such algorithms are typically employed either because the only known algorithms that provide optimal solutions use too much time or resources, or else because there is no known algorithm that provides an optimal solution.
  3. That reasons from the value of a method or principle that has been shown by experimental investigation to be a useful aid in learning, discovery and problem-solving.
noun
  1. A heuristic method.
  2. The art of applying heuristic methods.
  3. A heuristic algorithm or method.

Pronunciation

/hjuˈɹɪstɪk/ /hjʊˈɹɪstɪk/ /hjəˈɹɪstɪk/ en-us-heuristic.ogg

Word forms

heuristic more heuristic most heuristic heuristics

Etymology

Irregular formation from Ancient Greek εὑρίσκω (heurískō, “I find, discover”) (compare the proper Greek term εὑρετικός (heuretikós)).

Related words

empiric empirical rule of thumb

Derived words

heuristical heuristically hyperheuristic metaheuristic non-heuristic semiheuristic unheuristic

Translations

Arabic: إرشادي Bulgarian: евристичен Catalan: heurístic Chinese Mandarin: 啟發式的 /启发式的 Czech: heuristický Danish: heuristisk Dutch: heuristisch Esperanto: heŭristika Esperanto: problemsolvila Finnish: heuristinen French: heuristique Georgian: ევრისტიკული German: heuristisch Greek: ευρετικός Hungarian: heurisztikus Indonesian: heuristik Italian: euristico Kazakh: эвристикалық Occitan: euristic Polish: heurystyka Polish: heurystyczny Portuguese: heurístico Romanian: euristic Russian: эвристи́ческий Spanish: heurístico Swedish: heuristisk
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