scalar

1 of 2

adjective

sca·​lar ˈskā-lər How to pronounce scalar (audio)
-ˌlär
1
: having an uninterrupted series of steps : graduated
scalar chain of authority
scalar cells
2
a
: capable of being represented by a point on a scale
scalar quantity
b
: of or relating to a scalar or scalar product
scalar multiplication

scalar

2 of 2

noun

1
: a real number rather than a vector
2
: a quantity (such as mass or time) that has a magnitude describable by a real number and no direction

Examples of scalar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
And there are some hints that the scalar radius is different, as well. Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, 3 Apr. 2023 Song, meanwhile, hopes to look into basic questions about scalar curvature that are not motivated by physics. Steve Nadis, Quanta Magazine, 30 Nov. 2023 There are scalar-tensor theories. Quanta Magazine, 23 Feb. 2022 To tide you over, here are Henry's latest videos about our favorite scalar boson. Sean Carroll, Discover Magazine, 12 July 2012 Dark energy, either described by the cosmological constant or a quintessence scalar field, only started acting in the universe about 8 billion years ago. Robert Lea, Popular Mechanics, 23 Jan. 2023 But Skordis & Ferreira showed that the scalar field in TeVeS might have just such an effect. Sean Carroll, Discover Magazine, 9 May 2012 In today’s heterogeneous world of Domain-Specific Processors, parallel processing of large data sets is a critical adjunct to scalar processing. Karl Freund, Forbes, 8 Aug. 2022 Its slow movement, in C minor, is built on a mesmerizing cello ostinato, rising by scalar steps from C to F and then back down. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2022
Noun
By placing the scalar, tensor, and vector accelerators next to one another, the workloads can be shared among them. Mark Hachman, PCWorld, 2 Dec. 2020 Their next step is to make more realistic calculations that go beyond elementary scalar fields and incorporate messier forms of matter and radiation. Quanta Magazine, 2 Dec. 2019 Then there is TeVeS (tensor-vector-scalar), MOND’s relativistic cousin. Katia Moskvitch, WIRED, 6 May 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scalar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin scalaris, from scalae stairs, ladder — more at scale entry 5

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of scalar was circa 1656

Dictionary Entries Near scalar

Cite this Entry

“Scalar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scalar. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

scalar

1 of 2 adjective
sca·​lar ˈskā-lər How to pronounce scalar (audio)
-ˌlär
1
: arranged like a ladder : graduated
scalar chain of authority
2
a
: able to be represented by a point on a scale
a scalar quantity
b
: of or relating to a scalar
scalar multiplication

scalar

2 of 2 noun
1
: a real number rather than a vector
2
: a quantity (as mass or time) that has a magnitude which can be described by a real number but no direction

More from Merriam-Webster on scalar

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