# All Words Glossary

Glossary of Math Terms
beginning with letter C
Browse the Math Glossary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 calculate
verb (calculat, ing)
1. (transitive) (mathematics) To determine the value of something or the solution to something by a mathematical process.
Calculate the square root of 3 to 10 decimal places.
1. (intransitive) (mathematics) To determine values or solutions by a mathematical process.
2. (intransitive) To plan something, especially something morally wrong.
 calculated
verb
1. (past of, calculate)
 calculating
verb
1. (present participle of, calculate)
1. which has the ability to calculate
2. which serves one's own interests in an unemotional, analytical manner
 calculation
noun (countable and uncountable; pluralcalculations)
1. (mathematics) (uncountable) The act or process of calculating.
2. (mathematics) (countable) The result of calculating.
3. (countable) Reckoning, estimate.
By my calculation, we should be there by midnight.
1. (countable) An expectation based on circumstances.
 calculator
noun (pluralcalculators)
1. (dated) A person who performs mathematical calculation
2. A person who calculates (in the sense of scheming).
3. A mechanical or electronic device that performs mathematical calculations.
4. (obsolete) A set of mathematical tables.
 calculus
noun (calculi, -)
1. (countable) (mathematics) Any formal system in which symbolic expressions are manipulated according to fixed rules.
vector calculus
1. (uncountable) (analysis) differential calculus, Differential calculus and integral calculus considered as a single subject.
2. (countable) (medicine) A stony concretion that forms in a bodily organ.
renal calculus ( = kidney stone)
1. (uncountable) (dentistry) Deposits of calcium phosphate salts on teeth.
 calculus of variations
noun
1. (calculus) The form of calculus that deals with the maxima and minima of definite integrals of functions of many variables
 cancel
noun
1. (nonstandard) A cancellation.
2. (rfv-sense, apparently means natural.) (music) A mark cancelling a previous sharp or flat.
verb (cancels, cancelling (Commonwealth), canceling (American), cancelled (Commonwealth), canceled (American))
1. (transitive) To cross out something with lines etc.
2. (transitive) To invalidate or annul something.
He cancelled his order on their website.
1. (transitive) To mark something (such as a used postage stamp) so that it can't be reused.
This machine cancels the letters that have a valid zip code.
1. (transitive) To offset or equalize something.
The corrective feedback mechanism cancels out the noise.
1. (transitive) (mathematics) To remove a common factor from both the numerator and denominator of a fraction, or from both sides of an equation.
2. (rfd-redundant) (intransitive) To counterbalance or neutralize each other.
3. (rfd-redundant) (intransitive) (mathematics) Of a common factor in numerator and denominator of a fraction: To disappear.
(rfc, None of the meanings are limited to transitive or intransitive - the verb is always both/either with no distinction in meaning, only distinction is object referent.)
 Cardinal
proper noun
1. (baseball) A player on the team "The St. Louis Cardinals".
Smith became a as the result of a pre-season trade.
1. A player on the team "Arizona Cardinals".
2. A sports team or a player on a sports team at w:Stanford University, Stanford University.
3. A student or player on a sports team at the w:University of Louisville, University of Louisville. <!-- split to Cardinals
Cardinals
4. (baseball) The team "w:St. Louis Cardinals, The St. Louis Cardinals".
1. The team "w:Arizona Cardinals, The Arizona Cardinals".
2. A sports team at the w:University of Louisville, University of Louisville.
The Cardinals take the field.
-->
 cardinality
noun (pluralcardinalities)
1. (settheory) Of a set, the number of elements it contains.
The empty set has a cardinality of zero.
 cardinal number
noun
1. A number used to denote quantity; a counting number.
The smallest cardinal numbers are 0, 1, 2, and 3.
The "three" can be represented as "3" or "three".
1. (mathematics) A generalized kind of number used to denote the size of a set, including infinite sets.
1. (context, grammar) A word that expresses a countable quantity; a cardinal numeral.
"Three" is a , while "third" is an ordinal number.
 cardioid
noun
1. (geometry) An epicycloid with exactly one cusp; the plane curve with polar equation $\rho = 1 + \cos\,\theta$ - having a shape supposedly heart-shaped
1. Having this characteristic shape
 Cartesian coordinates
nounpl
1. (alggeom) The coordinates of a point measured as its perpendicular distance to the right of a vertical axis (the y-axis, y-axis) and its perpendicular distance above a horizontal axis (the x-axis, x-axis).
 Cartesian product
noun
1. (mathematics) The set of all possible pairs of elements whose components are members of two sets. Notation: $X \times Y = {(x,y)\, x\in X \land y\in Y\}$.
 Cartesian space
noun
1. (mathematics) Euclidean space described by Cartesian coordinates.
 cast
noun
1. A supportive and immobilising device used to help mend broken bones.
The doctor put a on the boy"s broken arm.
1. The collective group of people performing a play or production together.
He"s in the of Oliver.
1. The casting procedure.
2. A small mass of earth excreted by a worm.
3. An object made in a mould.
4. The mould used to make cast objects; as, a plaster cast.
5. A squint.
6. visual, Visual appearance.
Her features had a delicate to them. (rfex, the ones without)
verb (casts, casting, cast, )
1. To throw forcefully.
He a stone at the dog.
1. To throw something down or toss something aside.
to away fear
She the die.
1. To throw a fishing line or net into the water.
The fisherman the net into the sea.
1. To assign a role in a play or performance.
The director the part carefully.
1. (computing) To change a variable type from, for example, integer to real, or integer to text.
Casting is generally an indication of bad design.
1. Make by pouring into a mould.
2. (of animals) To lose the hair or fur of the coat, usually in spring.
3. (context, of fabric) To twist or warp.
4. (nautical) To bring the bows of a sailing ship on to the required tack just as the anchor is weighed by use of the headsail.
5. (nautical) To heave the lead and line in order to ascertain the depth of water.
6. (context, accountancy) To add up a column of figures; cross-cast refers to adding up a row of figures.
(rfex)
 catastrophe
noun
1. Any enormous and disastrous event of great significance.
2. A disaster beyond expectations (insurance industry)
3. In ancient Greek tragedies, the solution of the plot.
4. A social change of an outstanding radical and rapid character, with highly magical explanations by victims and others (sociology)
 category
noun (categories)
1. A group, often named or numbered, to which items are assigned based on similarity or defined criteria.
This steep and dangerous climb belongs to the most difficult .
I wouldn't put this book in the same as the author's first novel.
1. (mathematics) A collection of objects, together with a transitively closed collection of composable arrows between them, such that every object has an identity arrow.
One well-known has sets as objects and functions as arrows.
 center
noun
1. The middle portion of something; the part well away from the edges.
2. (geometry) The point on a line that is midway between the ends.
3. (geometry) The point in the interior of a circle that is equidistant from all points on the circumference of the circle.
4. (rfv-sense) A person who is self-centered.
5. (geometry) The point in the interior of a sphere that is equidistant from all points on the surface of the sphere.
6. (geometry) The point in the interior of any figure of any number of dimensions that has as its coordinates the arithmetic mean of the coordinates of all points on the perimeter of the figure.
7. A place where some function or activity occurs.
shopping ;
convention
1. A topic that is particularly important in a given context.
the of the controversy
the of attention
1. (basketball) The player, generally the tallest, who plays closest to the basket.
2. (Icehockey) The forward that generally plays between the left wing and right wing and usually takes the faceoffs.
3. The person who holds the ball at the beginning of each play.
verb (transitive)
1. To cause (an object) to occupy the center of an area.
2. To cause (some attribute, such as a mood or voltage) to be adjusted to a value which is midway between the extremes.
3. To concentrate on (something), to pay close attention to (something).
1. Of, at, or related to a center.
 centum
1. (linguistics) referring to a Proto-Indo-European language group that did not produce sibilants from a series of velar stops
 centuple
1. Hundredfold. Multiplied by one hundred.
 chain
noun
1. A series of interconnected rings or links usually made of metal.
He wore a gold around the neck.
1. A series of interconnected things.
This led to an unfortunate of events.
1. A series of stores or businesses with the same brand name.
That of restaurants is expanding into our town.
1. A number of atoms in a series, which combine to form a molecule.
When examined, the molecular included oxygen and hydrogen.
1. (surveying) A series of interconnected links of known length, used as a measuring device.
2. (surveying) A long measuring tape.
3. A unit of length equal to 22 yards. The length of a commonly used surveying chain. The length of a cricket pitch. Equal to 17.85 metres. Equal to 4 rods.
verb
1. (transitive) To fasten something with a chain
2. (intransitive) To link multiple items together
3. (transitive) To secure someone with fetters
4. (transitive) To obstruct the mouth of a river etc with a chain
5. (computing) To relate data items with a chain of pointers; to be chained to another data item
6. (transitive) To measure a distance using a 66-foot long chain, as in land surveying
 chord
noun
1. (context, music) In music, a combination of any three or more pitches and the diatonic functionality of those pitches.
2. (geometry) A straight line between two points of a curve.
3. (context, engineering) A horizontal member of a truss.
4. (context, aeronautics) The distance between the leading edge, leading and trailing edge of a wing, measured in the direction of the normal airflow.
 cipher
noun
1. A numeric character.
2. A method of transforming a text in order to conceal its meaning.
The message was written in a simple . Anyone could figure it out.
1. (crypto) A cryptographic system using an algorithm that converts letter, letters or sequences of bit, bits into ciphertext.
2. ciphertext, Ciphertext; a message concealed via a .
The message is clearly a , but I can't figure it out.
1. A grouping of three digits in a number, especially when delimited by commas or periods:
The probability is 1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000--a number having five ciphers of zeros.
1. A design of interlacing initials: a decorative design consisting of a set of interlaced initials.
2. (music) A fault in an organ valve which causes a pipe to sound continuously without the key having been pressed.
3. A hip-hop jam session http://www.rapdict.org/Cipher
4. The path (usually circular) shared cannabis takes through a group, an occasion of cannabis smoking.
5. (dated) Someone or something of no importance.
You are just a to me.
1. (obsolete) zero, Zero.
verb
1. (regional and/or dated) To calculate.
I never learned much more than how to read and .
 circle
noun
1. (geometry): A two-dimensional geometric figure, a line, consisting of the set of all those points in a plane that are equally distant from another point.
The set of all points (x, y) such that $(x-1)^2 + y^2 = r^2$ is a of radius r around the point (1, 0).
1. A two-dimensional geometric figure, a disk, consisting of the set of all those points of a plane at a distance less than or equal to a fixed distance from another point.
2. Any thin three-dimensional equivalent of the geometric figures.
Put on your dunce-cap and sit down on that .
1. A curve that more or less forms part or all of a circle.
move in a
1. Orbit.
2. A specific group of persons.
inner
of friends
1. (cricket) A line comprising two semicircles of 30 yds radius centred on the wickets joined by straight lines parallel to the pitch used to enforce field restrictions in a one-day match.
verb (circl, ing)
1. (transitive) To travel around along a curved path.
2. (transitive) To surround.
3. (transitive) To place or mark a circle around.
Circle the jobs that you are interested in applying for.
1. (intransitive) To travel in circles.
 circular function
noun
1. a trigonometric function
 circumference
noun
1. (geometry) The line that bounds a circle or other two-dimensional figure
2. (geometry) The length of such a line
noun
1. (mathematics) the radius of the smallest circle into which will fit any given geometric shape, especially a regular polygon
2. (mathematics) the radius of the smallest sphere into which will fit any given polyhedron
 class
noun (es, -)
1. (countable) A group, collection, category or set sharing characteristics or attributes.
The new Ford Fiesta is set to be best in the 'small family' .
: Often used to imply membership of a large class.
:: This word has a whole of metaphoric extensions.
1. (countable) A social grouping, based on job, wealth, etc. In Britain, society is commonly split into three main classes; upper class, middle class and working class.
2. (uncountable) The division of society into classes.
Jane Austen's works deal with in 18th-century England.
Apologizing for losing your temper, even though you were badly provoked, showed real .
1. (context, countable, and, uncountable) A group of students in a regularly scheduled meeting with a teacher.
The was noisy, but the teacher was able to get their attention with a story.
1. A series of classes covering a single subject.
I took the cooking for enjoyment, but I also learned a lot.
1. (countable) A group of students who commenced or completed their education during a particular year. A school class.
The of 1982 was particularly noteworthy.
1. (countable) A category of seats in an airplane, train or other means of mass transportation.
I used to fly business , but now my company can only afford economy.
1. (context, biology, taxonomy, countable) A rank in the classification of organisms, below phylum and above order; a taxon of that rank
Magnolias belong to the Magnoliopsida.
1. (computing) A set of objects possibly differing in state but not behavior.
2. (math) A collection of sets definable by a shared property.
The of all sets is not a set.
verb (classes, classing, classed)
1. (transitive) To assign to a class.
I would this with most of the other mediocre works of the period.
1. (context, UK, slang) great; fabulous
 coaxial
1. (geometry) Having a common central axis.
 coefficient
noun
1. (mathematics) A constant by which an algebraic term is multiplied.
2. A number, value or item that serves as a measure of some property or characteristic.
 combinatorics
noun
1. (math) a branch of mathematics that studies (usually finite) collections of objects that satisfy specified criterion, criteria (see w:combinatorics, the Wikipedia article for further details)
 common
noun
1. mutual, Mutual good, shared by more than one.
2. a tract of land in common ownership
1. mutual, Mutual; shared by more than one.
The two competitors have the aim of winning the championship.
Winning the championship is an aim to the two competitors.
1. occur, Occurring or happening regularly or frequently; usual.
It is to find sharks off this coast.
1. found, Found in large numbers or in a large quantity.
Sharks are in these waters.
1. simple, Simple, ordinary or vulgar.
2. (grammar) In some languages, particularly Germanic languages, of the gender originating from the coalescence of the masculine and feminine categories of nouns.
3. Of or pertaining to uncapitalized nouns in English, i.e., common nouns vs. proper nouns
 common fraction
noun (pluralcommon fractions)
1. (arithmetic) Another name for a vulgar fraction.
 commutator
noun (wikipedia, commutator (electric))
1. an electrical switch, in a generator or motor, that periodically reverses the direction of an electric current
1. (mathematics) (of a group) an element of the form ghgâˆ’1hâˆ’1 where g and h are elements of the group; it is equal to the group's identity if and only if g and h commute
2. (mathematics) (of a ring) an element of the form ab-ba, where a and b are elements of the ring, it is identical to the ring's zero element if and only if a and b commute
 commute
verb (commut, ing)
1. (intransitive) To travel from one's home (usually in the suburbs of a city) to one's workplace (usually in the city itself, or in another city) to go to work, or vice versa.
2. (context, intransitive, mathematics) To engage in a commutative operation.
3. (context, transitive, finance) To pay out the lump-sum present value of an annuity.
4. (context, transitive, law, criminology) To reduce the sentence previously given for a criminal offense.
 compact
noun
1. An agreement or contract.
verb
1. (transitive) To make more dense; to compress.
1. Closely packed.
2. Having all necessary features fitting neatly into a small space.
3. (topology) close, Closed and bounded; having a finite subcover for every open cover.
 complement
noun
1. Something which complements.
We believe you will make a good to our team.'
1. (geometry) An angle which, together with a given angle, makes a right angle.
2. (settheory) Given two sets, the set containing one set's elements that are not members of the other set; the relative complement.
3. (settheory) The set containing exactly those elements of the universal set not in the given set; the absolute complement.
The of the odd numbers is the even numbers, relative to the natural numbers.
1. (logic) An expression which is true when the other is false, and vice versa.
2. (electronics) A voltage level with the opposite logical sense to the given one.
3. A (grammar) A word or group of words that completes a grammatical construction in the predicate and that describes or is identified with the subject or object.
1. Any word or group of words used to complete a grammatical construction, typically in the predicate, including adverbials, infinitives, and sometimes objects.
2. complement clause
1. (computing) A bit with the opposite value to the given one; the logical complement of a number.
2. (context, computing, mathematics) The diminished radix complement of a number; the nines' complement of a decimal number; the ones' complement of a binary number.
The of $01100101_2$ is $10011010_2$.
1. (context, computing, mathematics) The radix complement of a number; the two's complement of a binary number.
The of $01100101_2$ is $10011011_2$.
1. (context, computing, mathematics) The numeric complement of a number.
The of -123 is 123.
1. (music) An interval which, together with the given interval, makes an octave.
2. The color which, when mixed with the given color, gives black (for mixing pigments) or white (for mixing light).
The of blue is orange.
1. (genetics) A nucleotide sequence in which each base is replaced by the complementary base of the given sequence: adenine (A) by thymine (T) or uracil (U), cytosine (C) by guanine (G), and vice versa.
A DNA molecule is formed from two strands, each of which is the of the other.
1. (immunology) One of several blood proteins that work with antibody, antibodies during an immune response.
2. (nautical) The full number of personnel required to man a ship (esp. a ship of war).
verb
1. To complete.
1. To provide what the partner lacks and lack what the partner provides.
The flavors of the pepper and garlic each other, giving a very rich taste in combination.
I believe our talents really each other.
1. To change a voltage, number, color, etc. to its complement.
 complex
noun (pl=complexes)
1. A problem.
2. A collection of buildings with a common purpose, such as a university or military base.
3. A psychologically based dislike or fear of a particular thing.
Jim has a real complex about working for a woman boss.
1. A thunderstorm that forms when two storm fronts collide.
2. (chemistry) A structure consisting of a central atom or molecule weakly connected to surrounding atoms or molecules.
verbto complex (intransitive)
1. (chemistry) To form a complex with another substance
((
compar) more complex, (superl) most complex)
1. Made up of multiple parts; intricate or detailed.
2. Not simple or straightforward.
3. (mathematics) Of a number, of the form a + bi, where a and b are real numbers and i is the square root of &minus;1.
function
1. (geometry) A curve, polygon or other figure that crosses or intersects itself.
 complex analysis
noun (uncountable)
1. (mathematics) The branch of mathematics that studies holomorphic functions.
 complex number
noun
1. (complex) A number of the form a + bi, where a and b are real numbers and i 2 = &minus;1.
 complex plane
noun
1. (mathematics) a representation of the space of complex numbers
 composite
noun
1. A mixture of different components.
2. A structural material that gains its strength from a combination of complementary materials.
3. (botany) A plant belonging to the family Compositae.
4. (mathematics) A function of a function.
verb (composit, ing)
1. To make a composite.
I composited an image using computer software.
1. Made up of multiple components; compound or complex.
2. (architecture) Being a mixture of Ionic and Corinthian styles.
3. (mathematics) Not prime; having factors.
4. (botany) Being a member of the Compositae family (now known as Asteraceae).
 composite function
noun
1. (mathematics) A function of one or more independent variables, at least one of which is itself a function of one or more other independent variables; a function of a function
 composition
noun
1. The combining of different parts to make a whole.
2. The general makeup of something.
3. A mixture or compound; the result of composing
4. A work of music, literature or art.
5. An essay.
6. {Linguistics) The formation of compound words from separate words.
7. (printing) typesetting.
 computation