combinatorial

adjective

com·​bi·​na·​to·​ri·​al ˌkäm-bə-nə-ˈtȯr-ē-əl How to pronounce combinatorial (audio)
kəm-ˌbī-nə-,
-(ˌ)bi-
1
: of, relating to, or involving combinations
2
: of or relating to the arrangement of, operation on, and selection of discrete mathematical elements belonging to finite sets or making up geometric configurations
combinatorially
ˌkäm-bə-nə-ˈtȯr-ē-ə-lē How to pronounce combinatorial (audio)
kəm-ˌbī-nə-
-(ˌ)bi-
adverb

Examples of combinatorial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The combinatorial space for the yeast genome — natural or synthetic — is vast; exploring it and tweaking each genetic component individually to understand its purpose and context is impractically slow. Quanta Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024 The challenge, then, lies in selecting the best move amid this vast combinatorial complexity. The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 2024 The magic of combinatorial math means that there are technically more than a trillion paths through the story, though in reality the number is much smaller. Peter Rubin, WIRED, 28 Dec. 2018 Cambridge professor Frank Kelly and I have developed a combinatorial auction procedure called PAUSE (Progressive Adaptive User Selection Environment), where the auctioneer never faces the winner determination problem. London School Of Economics, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for combinatorial 

Word History

First Known Use

1818, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of combinatorial was in 1818

Dictionary Entries Near combinatorial

Cite this Entry

“Combinatorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/combinatorial. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!