tensor

noun

ten·​sor ˈten(t)-sər How to pronounce tensor (audio) ˈten-ˌsȯr How to pronounce tensor (audio)
1
: a muscle that stretches a part
2
: a generalized vector with more than three components each of which is a function of the coordinates of an arbitrary point in space of an appropriate number of dimensions

Examples of tensor 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.
Researchers also evaluated white matter in the brain using an MRI technique called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), which measures the movement of water molecules in the brain. — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 24 Mar. 2025 For example, Dries Sels and colleagues at New York University performed similar calculations on a regular laptop using tensor networks – which reduce the amount of data and hence energy needed to perform simulations, reported New Scientist. — Peter Cohan, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025 Reasoning LLMs essentially prompt themselves to reason through a problem, which in turn generates more tokens and keeps expensive hardware (such as GPUs or tensor processing units) occupied. — IEEE Spectrum, 5 Mar. 2025 This mirrors Nvidia's strategy with DLSS, which has always leveraged the tensor cores found in RTX GPUs to run machine-learning models to achieve superior image quality for upscaled and AI-generated frames. — Ars Technica, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tensor

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, from Latin tendere "to extend outward, stretch, draw tight" + -tor, agent suffix — more at tender entry 3

First Known Use

circa 1704, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tensor was circa 1704

Rhymes for tensor

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Browse Nearby Words

tenson
tensor
tensorial
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Cite this Entry

“Tensor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tensor. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.

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Medical Definition

tensor

noun
ten·​sor ˈten(t)-sər How to pronounce tensor (audio) ˈten-ˌsȯ(ə)r How to pronounce tensor (audio)
: a muscle that stretches a part or makes it tense

called also tensor muscle

More from Merriam-Webster on tensor

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tensor

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