English Dictionary |
PERMUTATION
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Dictionary entry overview: What does permutation mean?
• PERMUTATION (noun)
The noun PERMUTATION has 4 senses:
1. an event in which one thing is substituted for another
2. the act of changing the arrangement of a given number of elements
3. complete change in character or condition
4. act of changing the lineal order of objects in a group
Familiarity information: PERMUTATION used as a noun is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
An event in which one thing is substituted for another
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural events
Synonyms:
permutation; replacement; substitution; switch; transposition
Context example:
the replacement of lost blood by a transfusion of donor blood
Hypernyms ("permutation" is a kind of...):
fluctuation; variation (an instance of change; the rate or magnitude of change)
Sense 2
Meaning:
The act of changing the arrangement of a given number of elements
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("permutation" is a kind of...):
mathematical operation; mathematical process; operation ((mathematics) calculation by mathematical methods)
Derivation:
permute (change the order or arrangement of)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Complete change in character or condition
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Context example:
the permutations...taking place in the physical world
Hypernyms ("permutation" is a kind of...):
transformation; translation (the act of changing in form or shape or appearance)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Act of changing the lineal order of objects in a group
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("permutation" is a kind of...):
reordering (a rearrangement in a different order)
Derivation:
permute (change the order or arrangement of)
Context examples
A method for reducing bias in which half of the treatment arrays swap with half of the control arrays in each permutation.
(Balanced Permutation, NCI Thesaurus)
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