algorithm

IPA/ˈælɡərɪðəm/
KK[ˈælɡɚˌɪðəm]IPA/ˈælɡərɪðəm/

algorithm — noun

  • algorithmsingular
  • algorithmsplural

1. an ordered list of steps, written for a computer or person, that always reaches

1.nounB2
Definition

an ordered list of steps, written for a computer or person, that always reaches a correct answer to a clearly defined problem — for example, sorting a list of names or finding the shortest route on a map.

Example

Nikolai wrote a simple algorithm to sort his music files by year.

algorithm to + verb pattern

The textbook explains an algorithm for finding the largest number in a list.

algorithm for + noun pattern

Common collocations
  • write an algorithm
  • design an algorithm
  • run an algorithm
  • sorting algorithm
  • search algorithm
  • efficient algorithm
Synonyms
  • procedure

    broader; covers any series of steps, not just computational ones

  • formula

    usually a single equation rather than a sequence of decisions

  • method

    everyday word; less precise about ordering and stopping conditions

Grammar Patterns

algorithm for + noun

algorithm to + verb

Usage Note

Subject is usually a person, program, or machine that follows the steps. Frequently appears with verbs like write, design, run, implement. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense names a general computational method; sense 2 names the specific ranking system inside a website or app.

Common Mistakes

I made an algorithm for my homework.
I wrote an algorithm for my homework.
algorithms are written or designed, not made.

2. the hidden ranking system that an app, social platform, or news site uses to cho

2.nounB2
Definition

the hidden ranking system that an app, social platform, or news site uses to choose which posts, videos, or products each user will see, often based on what the user has clicked or watched before.

Example

After Kenji watched one cooking video, the algorithm filled his feed with recipe clips for a week.

the algorithm + verb (decides what to show)

Many small creators say the new algorithm hides their videos from regular viewers.

collocation: the new algorithm

Common collocations
  • the algorithm decides
  • feed the algorithm
  • beat the algorithm
  • game the algorithm
  • the platform's algorithm
Synonyms
  • feed

    the visible result of the algorithm, not the system itself

  • recommendation system

    the formal technical term; less common in casual speech

Grammar Patterns

the algorithm decides/picks/shows

be tweaked/changed/updated

Usage Note

Almost always preceded by 'the' and treated as a singular agent that 'decides' or 'shows' things — a personification not used in sense 1. Common in everyday talk about TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, and online shopping.

Common Mistakes

TikTok has good algorithms for me.
TikTok's algorithm works well for me.
when talking about one platform's recommendation system, use the singular with 'the'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe ways of solving a problem, but they differ in precision and scope. An algorithm is the most exact: a finite, ordered sequence of steps that, if followed correctly, is guaranteed to reach the answer — most often used for computing and mathematics. A procedure is broader and less technical; it covers any series of steps people follow, from a hospital surgery to a fire drill. A formula is normally a single equation or fixed expression, like the area of a circle, rather than a chain of decisions. A method is the most everyday word and simply means a chosen way of doing something; it does not promise that the steps are precise or that the answer is guaranteed. Compare: 'Sara learned a clever algorithm for sorting cards' (computational), 'Sara followed the lab procedure carefully' (rule-bound but not numerical), 'Sara used the formula for compound interest' (one equation), 'Sara has her own method for memorising vocabulary' (personal habit).

algorithm ↗procedure ↗formula ↗method ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • sorting algorithm
  • search algorithm
  • ranking algorithm
  • recommendation algorithm
  • encryption algorithm
  • machine-learning algorithm

Phrases

  • write an algorithm
  • design an algorithm
  • implement an algorithm
  • run an algorithm
  • tweak the algorithm
  • the algorithm decides

Prepositions

  • algorithm for (a task)
  • algorithm behind (a system)

Etymology

ArabicMedieval LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word comes from the name of the 9th-century Persian mathematician al-Khwārizmī, whose books on Hindu-Arabic numerals were translated into Latin in medieval Europe. His name was Latinised as 'algorismus', which entered Middle English as 'algorism' and originally meant the new decimal counting system. Influenced by the Greek word 'arithmos' (number), the spelling shifted to 'algorithm' in English by the 1600s, and the modern computational meaning settled in the 20th century with the rise of computer science.