polynomial

/ˌpɑˌliˈnoʊmiəl/

Other forms: polynomials

In math, a polynomial is a mathematical expression that contains two or more algebraic terms that are added, subtracted, or multiplied (no division allowed!). Polynomial expressions include at least one variable and typically include constants and positive exponents as well. The expression x² − 4x + 7 is a polynomial.

You can break the word polynomial into parts to understand it more clearly. Poly means "many" in Greek, and nomial comes from the Latin nomen, or "name." In a mathematical context, this becomes "many terms." There are a few other rules about polynomials (exponents must be positive integers, for example), and your math teacher can fill you in on them.

Definitions of polynomial

1. noun

   a mathematical function that is the sum of a number of terms
   synonyms: multinomial

   types:

   biquadratic, biquadratic polynomial, quartic polynomial

   a polynomial of the fourth degree

   homogeneous polynomial

   a polynomial consisting of terms all of the same degree

   monic polynomial

   a polynomial in one variable

   quadratic, quadratic polynomial

   a polynomial of the second degree

   series

   (mathematics) the sum of a finite or infinite sequence of expressions

   quantic

   a homogeneous polynomial having at least two variables

   power series

   the sum of terms containing successively higher integral powers of a variable

   convergence, convergency

   the approach of an infinite series to a finite limit

   divergence, divergency

   an infinite series that has no limit

   geometric series

   a geometric progression written as a sum

   Fourier series

   the sum of a series of trigonometric expressions; used in the analysis of periodic functions

   exponential series

   a series derived from the expansion of an exponential expression

   type of:

   function, map, mapping, mathematical function, single-valued function

   (mathematics) a mathematical relation such that each element of a given set (the domain of the function) is associated with an element of another set (the range of the function)
2. adjective

   having the character of a polynomial
   “a polynomial expression”

   synonyms: multinomial