order of magnitude

order of magnitude
noun
1. a degree in a continuum of size or quantity (Freq. 5)
-

it was on the order of a mile

-

an explosion of a low order of magnitude

• Syn: ↑order
• Derivationally related forms: ↑order (for: ↑order)
• Hypernyms: ↑magnitude
2. a number assigned to the ratio of two quantities; two quantities are of the same order of magnitude if one is less than 10 times as large as the other; the number of magnitudes that the quantities differ is specified to within a power of 10
• Syn: ↑magnitude
• Hypernyms: ↑ratio

* * *

noun, pl orders of magnitude [count]
: a range of numbers or sizes that goes from a particular number or size to 10 times larger or 10 times smaller

These molecules are several orders of magnitude smaller than a grain of sand.

Donations to the organization increased by an order of magnitude [=they became 10 times greater] after the earthquake.

— often used figuratively

two problems of the same order of magnitude [=two problems that are equally important]

* * *

ˌorder of ˈmagnitude [order of magnitude] noun (mathematics)
a level in a system of ordering things by size or amount, where each level is higher by a ↑factor of ten

•

The actual measurement is two orders of magnitude

(= a hundred times)

greater than we expected.

•

(figurative)

The problem is of the same order of magnitude for all concerned.


Useful english dictionary. 2012.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • order of magnitude — plural orders of magnitude n 1.) if something is an order of magnitude greater or smaller than something else, it is ten times greater or smaller in size or amount 2.) the scale of the size of something ▪ That was a problem but this crisis is of… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • order of magnitude — noun count TECHNICAL a level in a system for measuring things, in which each level is ten times higher than the one before: Processing speeds exceed those of five years ago by several orders of magnitude. a. also used in a non technical way to… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • order of magnitude — ► NOUN 1) a class in a system of classification determined by size, typically in powers of ten. 2) size or quantity …   English terms dictionary

  • Order of magnitude — An order of magnitude is the class of scale or magnitude of any amount, where each class contains values of a fixed ratio to the class preceding it. In its most common usage, the amount being scaled is 10 and the scale is the (base 10) exponent… …   Wikipedia

  • order of magnitude — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms order of magnitude : singular order of magnitude plural orders of magnitude a) a level in a system for measuring things, in which each level is ten times higher than the one before Processing speeds exceed… …   English dictionary

  • order of magnitude —    a logarithmic unit used to compare the sizes of quantities. Two quantities differ by one order of magnitude if one is 10 times the other, by two orders of magnitude if one is 10·10 = 100 times the other, and so on. Thus a difference of n… …   Dictionary of units of measurement

  • order of magnitude — dydžio eilė statusas T sritis fizika atitikmenys: angl. order of magnitude vok. Größenordnung, f rus. порядок величины, m pranc. ordre de grandeur, m …   Fizikos terminų žodynas

  • order of magnitude — order of size …   English contemporary dictionary

  • order of magnitude — noun The class of scale or magnitude of any amount, where each class contains values of a fixed ratio (most often 10) to the class preceding it. For example, something that is 2 orders of magnitude larger is 100 times larger, something that is 3… …   Wiktionary

  • order of magnitude — Date: 1875 a range of magnitude extending from some value to ten times that value …   New Collegiate Dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”