nullipotent

English

Adjective

nullipotent (not comparable)

  1. (mathematics) (computing) Describing an action which has no side effect. Queries are typically nullipotent: they return useful data, but do not change the data structure queried. Contrast with idempotent.
  2. (biology) Incapable of developing into any cell type; compare pluripotent

Usage notes

In computing, contrast with idempotent, meaning that doing it multiple times is the same as doing it one times, rather than zero times, as is nullipotent.

Related terms

Coordinate terms

Last modified on 15 January 2011, at 09:19