determinant

noun
de·​ter·​mi·​nant | \ di-ˈtər-mə-nənt How to pronounce determinant (audio) \

Definition of determinant

1 : an element that identifies or determines the nature of something or that fixes or conditions an outcome education level as a determinant of income
2 mathematics : a square array of numbers bordered on the left and right by a vertical line and having a value equal to the algebraic sum of all possible products where the number of factors in each product is the same as the number of rows or columns, each factor in a given product is taken from a different row and column, and the sign of a product is positive or negative depending upon whether the number of permutations necessary to place the indices representing each factor's position in its row or column in the order of the natural numbers is odd or even
3 genetics : gene the determinant of the sickle-cell trait
4 biology : epitope

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Other Words from determinant

determinantal \ di-​ˌtər-​mə-​ˈnan-​tᵊl How to pronounce determinantal (audio) \ adjective

Examples of determinant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There are more obvious determinants of who suffers from severe disease. James Hamblin, The Atlantic, "Paging Dr. Hamblin: Does Vitamin D Help Fight COVID-19?," 3 June 2020 Indeed, the International Labour Organisation in its Report on Decent Work and Informal Economy had noted that labour regulations are only one of the many determinants of informalisation of the workforce. Saurabh Bhattacharjee, Quartz India, "Reckless waiver of labour laws will be counter-productive for the Indian economy," 13 May 2020 Another key determinant of getting infected is the amount of time you are exposed — so your risk is much less with five minutes versus 30 or more minutes of exposure. Thomas Perls, CBS News, "Doctor explains how and when you should be wearing a face mask," 6 Apr. 2020 Genetics and age are considerations, but the biggest determinant of pronghorn horn size is nutrition. Andrew Mckean, Outdoor Life, "The Keys to Deer Antler Growth," 26 Mar. 2020 The determinant of success, however, will be the treatment’s ultimate cost-effectiveness versus existing remedies. Chris Hughes | Bloomberg, Washington Post, "This Biotech Deal Is a $10 Billion Leap of Faith," 25 Nov. 2019 Develop and launch a statewide, culturally sensitive outreach campaign that educates African Americans and communities of color on COVID-19, health disparities, and social determinants of health. cleveland, "Gov. Mike DeWine announces measures to fight coronavirus in racial minority communities," 21 May 2020 Medical doctors in the Federalist period had no inkling of the patterns and determinants that compose the science of epidemiology. Frederick Kaufman, The New Yorker, "Pandemics Go Hand in Hand with Conspiracy Theories," 13 May 2020 The economic determinants, for example, can relate to disproportionate poverty rates and housing instability. Ashley Luthern, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Deaths from coronavirus in Wisconsin tend to be older men with underlying health issues," 1 Apr. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'determinant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of determinant

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for determinant

see determine

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Time Traveler for determinant

Time Traveler

The first known use of determinant was in 1686

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Statistics for determinant

Last Updated

9 Jun 2020

Cite this Entry

“Determinant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/determinant. Accessed 12 Jun. 2020.

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More Definitions for determinant

determinant

noun
How to pronounce determinant (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of determinant

formal : a thing that controls or influences what happens

determinant

noun
de·​ter·​mi·​nant | \ di-ˈtərm-(ə-)nənt How to pronounce determinant (audio) \

Medical Definition of determinant

1a : a hypothetical aggregate of biophores conceived as comparable to the gene of more recent biological theory
b : gene

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