ansatz

English

Etymology

From German Ansatz.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈansats/

Noun

ansatz (plural ansatzes)

1. A mathematical assumption used to describe a certain phenomenon, posited in order to help provisionally solve an equation or other problem. [from 20th c.]
   • 2011, Brian Cox & Jeff Forshaw, The Quantum World, Allen Lane 2011, p. 12:

     In such cases, scientists often make an ansatz, an educated guess if you like, and then proceed to compute the consequences of the guess.

Anagrams

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