sigmoid

English

WOTD – 19 May 2007

Etymology

Borrowing from Ancient Greek σῑγμοειδής (sīgmoeidḗs, “of the shape of sigma”), from σῖγμᾰ (sîgma, “sigma”) +‎ -ο- (-o-) +‎ -ειδής (-eidḗs, “-oid, -like”); Equivalent to sigma +‎ -oid. Compare with French sigmoïde.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɪɡ.mɔɪd/

  • Audio (US)

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪɡmɔɪd

Adjective

sigmoid (not comparable)

1. (archaic) Semi-circular, like the uncial or lunar sigma (similar to English C).
2. Curved in two directions, like the letter "S", or the Greek ς (sigma); having a serpentine shape.

   Synonym: (informal) S-shaped

   1. (mathematics) Exhibiting logistic growth; having a graph that accelerates until it reaches a carrying capacity.
3. (anatomy) Relating to the sigmoid colon.

   Synonym: sigmoidal

Derived terms

• parasigmoid
• rectosigmoid
• retrosigmoid
• sigmoid colon
• sigmoid flexure
• sigmoid function
• sigmoidicity
• sigmoidity
• sigmoid sinus

 

Translations

S-shaped, sigma-shaped

• Catalan: sigmoide (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 乙狀／乙状 (zh) (yǐzhuàng)

• Spanish: sigmoideo

relating to the sigmoid colon

• Catalan: sigmoïdal (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 乙狀結腸的／乙状结肠的 (zh) (yǐzhuàngjiécháng de)

• Spanish: sigmoideo

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: ^{(please verify)} sigmoïde (fr)

Noun

sigmoid (plural sigmoids)

1. (anatomy) Ellipsis of sigmoid colon.
2. (mathematics) Ellipsis of sigmoid function.
   • 2023 June 29th, “AI will kill all of us | Eliezer Yudkowsky interview” (16:12–16:28 from the start), in The David Pakman Show‎^[1], spoken by Eliezer Yudkowsky, via YouTube:

     If we had the textbook from a hundred years in the future that contains all the simple ideas that actually work, that take so long to identify in practice — the ReLUs instead of sigmoids — for those of us who’ve been following AI for, like, more than the last couple of years and know what I’m taking about there.

Derived terms

• hysterocolposigmoidectomy
• megasigmoid
• mesosigmoid
• proctosigmoidectomy
• proctosigmoiditis
• proctosigmoidoscopy
• rectosigmoiditis
• sigmoidal
• sigmoidectomy
• sigmoiditis
• sigmoidocele
• sigmoidopexy
• sigmoidoscope
• sigmoidoscopic
• sigmoidoscopy
• sigmoidostomy
• ureterosigmoidostomy

 

References

• “sigmoid”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “sigmoid”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French sigmoïde.

Adjective

sigmoid m or n (feminine singular sigmoidă, masculine plural sigmoizi, feminine and neuter plural sigmoide)

1. sigmoid

Declension

Declension of sigmoid

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative/ accusative	indefinite	sigmoid		sigmoidă	sigmoizi	sigmoide
	definite	sigmoidul		sigmoida	sigmoizii	sigmoidele
genitive/ dative	indefinite	sigmoid		sigmoide	sigmoizi	sigmoide
	definite	sigmoidului		sigmoidei	sigmoizilor	sigmoidelor