function

English

Wikipedia

Etymology

From Middle French function, from Old French fonction, from Latin functionem, accusative of function (“performance, execution”), from functus perfect participle of fungor (“I perform, I execute, I discharge”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈfʌŋk.ʃən/, X-SAMPA: /"fVNkS@n/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌŋkʃən

Noun

function (plural functions)

1. What something does or is used for.
2. A professional or official position.
3. An official or social occasion.
4. A relation where one thing is dependent on another for its existence, value, or significance.
5. (mathematics) A relation in which each element of the domain is associated with exactly one element of the codomain.
6. (computing) A routine that receives zero or more arguments and may return a result.
7. (biology) The physiological activity of an organ or body part.
8. (chemistry) The characteristic behavior of a chemical compound.
9. (anthropology) The role of a social practice in the continued existence of the group.

Synonyms

• (what something does or is used for): aim, intention, purpose, role, use
• (professional or official position): occupation, office, part, role
• (official or social occasion): affair, occasion, social occasion, social function
• (analysis: many-to-one relation): many-to-one map, many-to-one mapping, mathematical function, operation, transformation
• (computing: routine that returns a result): procedure, routine, subprogram, subroutine

Hypernyms

• (mathematics): relation

Related terms

• functor

Derived terms

terms derived from "function"

absolutely continuous function acidity function adaptive-control function additive function additive set function adjoint wave function aggregate function Airy function Airy stress function algebraic function almost-periodic function alternating function analytic function analytical function generator anatomy of function antihyperbolic function antisymmetric wave function antisymmetrized wave function antitrigonometric function arc-hyperbolic function autocorrelation function Baire function bei function ber function Bessel function beta function bifunctional biharmonic function Bloch function Boolean function Borel measurable function bounded function boxcar function Brillouin function built-in function Cantor function characteristic function circular function cofunction comparable function complementary function complete class of decision function composite function compressadensity function computable function concave function confluent hypergeometric function conjugate convex function connect function constant function constraint function contiguous function continuous function convex function cosine function cost function countably additive set function countably subadditive set function critical function cross-correlation function cyclosymmetric function cylinder function decreasing function delta function density function describing function differentiable function difunctional digamma function diode function generator Dirac wave function discriminant function disfunction dissipation function driving-point function dysfunction effectively computable function eigenfunction eigenfunction expansion Einstein partition function electron wave function electronic work function elementary function

elementary symmetric function elliptic function Emden function entire function equivalent propositional function error function essentially bounded function Euler's phi function even function excitation function executive ego function explicit function exponential density function exponential function exponential generating function feedback transfer function Fermi-Dirac distribution function form function forward transfer function Fowler function frontogenetic function function code function failure safety function generator function key function multiplier function object function space function switch function table function unit function-evaluation routine functional functionalism functionality gamma function general-purpose function generator generalized transmission function generating function Green's function Hamiltonian function Hammett acidity function Hankel function harmonic function Heaviside unit function hei function her function Hildebrand function homogeneous function Hugoniot function hybrid wave function hyperbolic function hypergeometric function identity function implicit function implicit function theorem impulse function incidence function incomplete beta function incomplete gamma function increasing function independent function influence function information function of a partition initial mass function inner function integrable function integral function invariant function inverse function inverse function theorem inverse hyperbolic function inverse trigonometric function inverting function J function Jacobian elliptic function jump function kei function ker function Koebe function Lagrange stream function Lagrangian function Lamé function Lamé wave function Langevin function

left-continuous function Legendre function Leverett function line function linear discriminant function linear function Liouville function locally integrable function logarithmic trigonometric function logarithmically convex function loop transfer function loss function lower semicontinuous function luminosity function Lyapunov function malfunction malfunction routine Massieu function mathematical function program Mathieu function Maxwell's stress function measurable function membership function meromorphic function microspec function minimal brain dysfunction syndrome Minkowski distance function Möbius function modified Bessel function modified Hankel function moment generating function momentum wave function monofunctional compound monogenic analytic function monotone function monotone nondecreasing function monotone nonincreasing function monotonic increasing function Morera's stress function multifunction array radar multilinear function multiplicative number-theoretic function natural function Neumann function nonfunctional packages software normal density function normalized function normalized support function NOT function nuclear response function number-theoretic function objective function odd function optimizing control function orthogonal function orthonormal function parabolic cylinder function partial function partial recursive function particle distribution function partition function Patterson function penalty function periodic function phase function piecewise-continuous function Planck function point characteristic function point function Poisson density function polynomial function positive linear functional positive real function power function predefined function principal function probability density function probability mass function programmed function key proper rational function propositional function psi function pulsed transfer function quadratic function

Rademacher function radial distribution function radicofunctional name random function rational function Rayleigh's dissipation function real-valued function recursive function regular function regulatory control function restricted function Riccati-Bessel function Riemann function Riemann P function Riemann zeta function sample function scalar function scattering function Schrödinger wave function self-dual switching function self-organizing function sensitivity function separated-function synchrotron set function sharpness function technique shear-viscosity function sigma function simple function simply periodic function single-valued function sinusoidal function skewed density function Smarandache function source function special function spectral function spherical Bessel function staff function step function step-function generator Stokes stream function stress function subadditive function subadditive set function subfunction subfunctional subharmonic function subsine function summable function superadditive function superharmonic function support function switch function switching function symmetric function tapped-potentiometer function generator test function tetrafunctional molecule thermionic work function thermodynamic function of state theta function tool-function controller torsion function transcendental function transfer function transition function transmission function trigamma function trigonometric cofunction trigonometric function truth function Turing computable function universal transmission function universal wavelength function upper semicontinuous function user-defined function variable diode function generator vector function viscous dissipation function wave function Wannier function Weierstrass function Weierstrassian elliptic function weight function work function

Translations

what something does or is used for

• Afrikaans: funksie (af)
• Albanian: funksion (sq)
• Arabic: وظيفة (ar) (waZiifa) f
• Catalan: funció (ca) f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 功能 (cmn) (gōngnéng), 機能 (cmn), 机能 (cmn) (jīnéng)

• Czech: funkce (cs) f, účel (cs) m
• Danish: funktion (da) c
• Dutch: functie (nl) f
• Finnish: tehtävä (fi), tarkoitus (fi)
• French: fonction (fr) f
• Galician: función (gl) f
• Georgian: ფუნქცია (ka) (funqcia)
• German: Funktion (de) f, Funktionalität (de) f
• Greek: λειτουργία (el) (liturgía) f
• Hebrew: תפקיד (he) (tafkíd) m
• Hungarian: funkció (hu)

• Indonesian: fungsi (id)
• Irish: feidhm (ga) f
• Italian: funzione (it) f
• Japanese: 機能 (kinō)
• Korean: 기능 (ko)
• Kurdish:

  Sorani: کار, کاروبار

• Malay: fungsi (ms)
• Norwegian: funksjon (no) m
• Polish: funkcja (pl) f
• Portuguese: função (pt) f
• Russian: функция (ru) (fúnkcija) f
• Serbo-Croatian: funkcija (sh) f, svrha (sh) f
• Spanish: función (es) f
• Swedish: funktion (sv) c, uppgift (sv) c
• Turkish: fonksiyon (tr), işlev (tr)

professional or official position

• Catalan: funció (ca) f
• Czech: funkce (cs) f
• Danish: funktion (da) c
• Dutch: functie (nl) f
• Finnish: tehtävä (fi)
• German: Funktion (de) f, Aufgabe (de) f
• Hebrew: תפקיד (he) (tafkíd) m
• Hungarian: funkció (hu)

• Irish: feidhm (ga) f
• Japanese: 職務 (shokumu)
• Norwegian: post (no) m, stilling (no) m
• Polish: funkcja (pl) f, stanowisko (pl) n
• Portuguese: função (pt) f
• Russian: функция (ru) (fúnkcija) f
• Serbo-Croatian: funkcija (sh) f
• Spanish: cargo (es) m
• Swedish: förrättning (sv) c, kall (sv) n, syssla (sv) c, åliggande (sv) n,

official or social occasion

• Finnish: juhla (fi), tilaisuus (fi)
• German: Funktion (de) f, Feier (de) f, Festveranstaltung (de) f
• Hebrew: אירוע (he) (erúa) m
• Italian: cerimonia (it) f, funzione (it) f, ricevimento (it) m
• Manx: cruinnaght (gv) f

• Norwegian: tilstelling (no) m, tilstelning (no) m
• Russian: функция (ru) (fúnkcija) f
• Spanish: función (es) f
• Swedish: bjudning (sv) c, tillställning (sv) c

relation where one thing is dependent on another

• Czech: funkce (cs) f
• Danish: funktion (da) c
• Dutch: functie (nl) f
• Finnish: funktio (fi)
• Hebrew: פונקציה (he) (funktsiá) f
• Italian: funzione (it) f

• Norwegian: funksjon (no) m
• Portuguese: função (pt) f
• Russian: функция (ru) (fúnkcija) f
• Serbo-Croatian: funkcija (sh) f
• Swedish: funktion (sv) c
• Tajik: тобеъ (tg) (tobeʾ)

mathematics: one-to-one relation

• Arabic: وظيفة (ar) (waZiifa) f
• Catalan: funció (ca) f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 函數 (cmn), 函数 (cmn) (hánshù)

• Czech: funkce (cs) f
• Danish: funktion (da) c
• Dutch: functie (nl) f, functie (nl) f
• Esperanto: funkcio (eo)
• Estonian: funktsioon (et)
• Finnish: funktio (fi)
• French: fonction (fr) f
• German: Funktion (de) f
• Greek: συνάρτηση (el) (synártisi) f
• Hebrew: פונקציה (he) (funktsiá) f
• Hindi: फलन (hi) (falan)
• Hungarian: függvény (hu)
• Icelandic: fall (is)
• Ido: funciono
• Indonesian: fungsi (id)
• Irish: feidhm (ga) f
• Italian: funzione (it) f

• Japanese: 関数 (kansū)
• Korean: 함수 (ko)
• Latin: fūnctiō (la) f
• Middle French: fonction
• Norwegian: funksjon (no) m
• Old French: function
• Persian: تابع (fa) (tâbe')
• Polish: funkcja (pl) f
• Portuguese: função (pt) f
• Romanian: funcție (ro)
• Russian: функция (ru) (fúnkcija) f
• Serbo-Croatian: funkcija (sh) f
• Spanish: función (es) f
• Swedish: funktion (sv)
• Thai: ฟังก์ชัน
• Turkish: fonksiyon (tr)
• Ukrainian: ін'єкція
• Urdu: عمل  کام  فعل

computing: routine that returns a result

• Arabic: وظيفة (ar) (waZiifa) f
• Catalan: funció (ca) f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 功能 (cmn) (gōngnéng), 函數 (cmn), 函数 (cmn) (hánshù)

• Czech: funkce (cs) f
• Danish: funktion (da) c
• Dutch: functie (nl) f
• Finnish: funktio (fi)
• French: fonction (fr) f
• German: Funktion (de) f
• Hebrew: פונקציה (he) (funktsiá) f
• Hungarian: függvény (hu)

• Irish: feidhm (ga) f
• Italian: funzione (it) f
• Japanese: 関数 (kansū)
• Norwegian: funksjon (no) m
• Persian: تابع (fa) (tâbe')
• Polish: funkcja (pl) f
• Portuguese: função (pt) f
• Russian: функция (ru) (fúnkcija) f
• Serbo-Croatian: funkcija (sh) f
• Spanish: función (es) f
• Swedish: funktion (sv) c, subrutin (sv) c
• Turkish: işlev (tr), fonksiyon (tr)

biology: physiological activity of an organ or body part

• Catalan: funció (ca) f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 功能 (cmn) (gōngnéng)

• Czech: funkce (cs) f
• Dutch: functie (nl) f
• Finnish: toiminta (fi)
• French: fonction (fr) f
• German: Funktion (de) f, Zweck (de) m
• Greek: λειτουργία (el) (liturgía) f
• Irish: feidhm (ga) f

• Italian: funzione (it) f
• Japanese: 機能 (kinō)
• Norwegian: funksjon (no) m
• Portuguese: função (pt) f
• Russian: функция (ru) (fúnkcija) f
• Serbo-Croatian: funkcija (sh) f
• Spanish: función (es) f
• Swedish: funktion (sv) c
• Turkish: fonksiyon (tr), işlev (tr)

chemistry: characteristic behavior of a chemical compound

• Catalan: funció (ca) f
• Dutch: functie (nl) f
• Finnish: käyttäytyminen (fi)
• German: Funktion (de) f
• Italian: funzione (it) f

• Japanese: 機能 (kinō)
• Russian: функция (ru) (fúnkcija) f
• Serbo-Croatian: funkcija (sh) f
• Swedish: funktion (sv) c

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

• Interlingua: function (1, 2, 3)

Verb

function (third-person singular simple present functions, present participle functioning, simple past and past participle functioned)

1. (intransitive) to have a function
2. (intransitive) to carry on a function; to be in action

Synonyms

• (to have a function): officiate, serve
• (to carry on a function): go, operate, run, work

Antonyms

• (to carry on a function): malfunction

Related terms

• functional
• dysfunction, dysfunctional

Translations

to have a function

• Danish: fungere (da)
• Dutch: fungeren (nl), dienen (nl)
• Finnish: toimia (fi)
• German: fungieren (de)
• Hebrew: תפקד (he) (tifkéd)
• Hungarian: -ra/-re való, -ra/-re szolgál

• Irish: feidhmigh (ga)
• Italian: funzionare (it)
• Japanese: 作用する (sayō-suru), 動く (うごく, ugoku)
• Portuguese: funcionar (pt)
• Spanish: fungir (es)
• Swedish: fungera (sv), tjänstgöra (sv), uppträda (sv), verka (sv)

to carry on a function

• Armenian: գործել (hy) (gorçel), աշխատել (hy) (ašxatel), բանել (hy) (banel)
• Catalan: funcionar (ca)
• Danish: fungere (da), virke (da)
• Dutch: functioneren (nl)
• Esperanto: funkcii (eo)
• Finnish: käydä, olla käynnissä (fi), toimia
• French: fonctionner (fr), marcher (fr)
• German: funktionieren (de), arbeiten (de), wirken (de), (slang) funzen (de)
• Hebrew: תפקד (he) (tifkéd), פעל (he) (pa'ál)

• Hungarian: működik (hu)
• Irish: feidhmigh (ga)
• Italian: funzionare (it)
• Japanese: 機能する (kinō-suru)
• Jèrriais: marchi
• Polish: działać
• Romanian: funcționa (ro)
• Spanish: funcionar (es)
• Swedish: fungera (sv), tjänstgöra (sv)

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Middle French

Noun

function f (plural functions)

1. function (what something's intended use is)

Descendants

• English: function (borrowed)
• French: fonction