binomial

English

Etymology

Formed from Late Latin binōmium + -al. The derivation of binōmium is unclear. It was used by Gérard de Crémone in the 12th century. Suggested sources are the Latin nōmen (“name”), the Ancient Greek νομός (nomós, “distribution, pasture”), or the Old French nom (“name”).[1] Compare binomy and binominal, as well as the French binôme.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baɪˈnəʊ.mi.əl/
• IPA^(key): /baɪˈnoʊ.mi.əl/

Adjective

binomial (not comparable)

1. Consisting of two terms, or parts.
   • 1992, Rhoda Rabkin, “The Aylwin Government and ‘Tutelary’ Democracy: A Concept in Search of a Case?”, in Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs, volume 34, number 4, →JSTOR, page 139:

     Finally, instead of returning to Chile’s traditional proportional representation system, the law adopted the “binomial” system, which gave strong incentives to the parties to form broad coalitions.

2. (statistics) Of or relating to the binomial distribution.
   • 1991 November 23, D. J. Nokes, R. M. Anderson, “Vaccine safety versus vaccine efficacy in mass immunisation programmes”, in The Lancet, volume 338, number 8778, →DOI, page 1309:

     Assuming a normal approximation to binomial probabilities the proportion of total complications reported for 1979–85 in the age class 0–14 years was significantly higher than the proportion in the same age class for the period 1962–69 (p < 0·0001)

Translations

consisting of two parts

• Bulgarian: двучленен (dvučlenen)
• Catalan: binomial
• Czech: binomický
• Dutch: tweeterm (nl)
• Esperanto: binoma
• Finnish: kaksiosainen (fi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Icelandic: tvíliðu-, tvíliða
• Italian: binomiale (it)
• Malay: sukudua, binomial
• Polish: dwumianowy
• Portuguese: binomial (pt)
• Spanish: binomial

Noun

polynomials by number of terms

Previous:	monomial
Next:	trinomial

binomial (plural binomials)

1. (algebra) A polynomial with two terms.
2. (algebra) A quantity expressed as the sum or difference of two terms.
3. (taxonomy) A scientific name at the rank of species, with two terms: a generic name and a specific name.
   • 1991, Daniel W. Gade, “Weeds in Vermont as Tokens of Socioeconomic Change”, in Geographical Review, volume 81, number 2, →JSTOR, page 169:

     Common name followed by Latin binomial in parentheses.

Usage notes

• Some people deprecate use of binomial and advocate use only of binominal in taxonomy. See species name for typesetting usage and example.

Synonyms

• (biology, taxonomy): binomen, binomial name, binominal, binominal name, species name
• (algebra): binome

Hypernyms

• (polynomial with two terms): polynomial

Derived terms

Derived terms

• binomial coefficient
• binomial distribution

• binomial nomenclature
• binomial theorem

Translations

algebra: polynomial with two terms

• Bulgarian: двучлен m (dvučlen)
• Catalan: binomi m
• Esperanto: binomo
• Finnish: binomi (fi)
• French: binôme (fr) m
• German: Binom (de) n
• Greek: διώνυμο (el) m (diónymo)
• Hungarian: binom
• Icelandic: tvíliða f, tvíliða stærð f
• Italian: binomio (it) m
• Khmer: ទ្វិធា (tvi’tʰie), ទ្វេធា (km) (tveetʰie)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Malay: sukudua, binomial
• Polish: dwumian (pl) m
• Portuguese: (Brazil) binômio (pt) m, binómio (pt) m
• Romanian: binom (ro) n
• Russian: двучле́н (ru) m (dvučlén)
• Serbo-Croatian: binom (sh) m
• Slovene: binom m
• Spanish: binomio (es) m
• Swedish: binom (sv)
• Tagalog: duhakay
• Thai: ทวินาม

algebra: quantity expressed as sum of two terms

• Finnish: binomi (fi)
• Icelandic: tvíliða f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Malay: sukudua, binomial
• Russian: двучле́н (ru) m (dvučlén)

scientific two-terms name — see binomial name

Anagrams

• Mobilian

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Catalan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [bi.nu.miˈal]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic, Valencia) [bi.no.miˈal]

Adjective

binomial m or f (masculine and feminine plural binomials)

1. binomial

Related terms

• binomi

Further reading

• “binomial” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

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French

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

binomial (feminine binomiale, masculine plural binomiaux, feminine plural binomiales)

1. binomial

Related terms

• binôme

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Portuguese

Adjective

1. binomial (consisting of two parts)

Related terms

• binómio, binômio

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Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /binoˈmjal/ [bi.noˈmjal]

Adjective

binomial m or f (masculine and feminine plural binomiales)

1. binomial

Related terms

• binomio

Further reading

• Template:R:DRAE 2001