Etymograph

English

algorithm

Algorithm comes from Middle English augrym ‘Calculation with Arabic numerals’, and goes back to Arabic الخَوَارِزْمِيّ ‘definite masculine singular of خَوَارِزْمِيّ…’.

  1. Arabicc. 500–presentالخَوَارِزْمِيّ‘definite masculine singular of خَوَارِزْمِيّ (ḵawārizmiyy)’
  2. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500algorismus
  3. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400algorisme
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500augrymas algorisme‘Calculation with Arabic numerals’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1990algorithm

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Arabicc. 500–presentالخَوَارِزْمِيّ‘definite masculine singular of خَوَارِزْمِيّ (ḵawārizmiyy)’
  2. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500algorismus
  3. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400algorisme
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500augrymas algorisme‘Calculation with Arabic numerals’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1990algorithm

Earliest quotation: 1990, Cormen, Leiserson: “Informally, an algorithm is any well-defined computational procedure that…”

The story

The spelling change (-s- > -th-) was influenced by unrelated Ancient Greek ἀριθμός (arithmós) (whence English arithmo-).

Every English word from Arabic الخَوَارِزْمِيّ

Today it means

noun A collection of ordered steps that solve a mathematical problem. A precise step-by-step plan for a computational procedure that possibly begins with an input value and yields an output value in a finite number of steps.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Arabic الخَوَارِزْمِيّ / algorithm

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