Friday, November 9, 2007

Today's Words: paradigm, parameter

paradigm
parameter

paradigm: \pār'ə-dīm', -dĭm'\; one that serves as a pattern or model; a set or list of all the inflectional forms of a word or of one of its grammatical categories: the paradigm of an irregular verb; a set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the community that shares them, especially in an intellectual discipline.

parameter: \pə-rām'ĭ-tər\; any factor that defines a system and determines (or limits) its performance; a constant in the equation of a curve that can be varied to yield a family of similar curves.

No comments: