infinitesimal
infinitesimal — 形容詞
- infinitesimalpositive
- more infinitesimalcomparative
- most infinitesimalsuperlative
1. so small in size, amount, or degree that it is almost impossible to notice
極微小的
小到幾乎無法察覺
so small in size, amount, or degree that it is almost impossible to notice
Even an infinitesimal crack let water into the phone case.
即使是極微小的裂縫，也讓水進了手機殼。
an infinitesimal crack
The test showed an infinitesimal amount of soap in the drinking water.
檢測結果顯示，飲用水裡只有極微量的肥皂。
an infinitesimal amount of + substance
An infinitesimal shift in the mirror moved the dot across the wall.
鏡子極微小的位移，就讓光點移過了牆面。
The tailor made an infinitesimal cut so the sleeve would hang straight.
裁縫做了極微小的一刀，好讓袖子垂得更直。
- substantial
large enough in amount or effect to matter clearly
- noticeable
easy enough to see or detect
文法句型
an infinitesimal + amount / change / difference
an infinitesimal + crack / shift / chance
用法筆記
Common in formal writing about measurement, science, risk, and change. In everyday speech, tiny or very small is often more natural.
infinitesimal — 名詞
1. a quantity, especially in mathematics, that is treated as so tiny it is almost z
無窮小量
數學中趨近零的極小量
a quantity, especially in mathematics, that is treated as so tiny it is almost zero
In calculus, dx can be treated as an infinitesimal during the proof.
在微積分裡，dx 在證明過程中可以視為無窮小量。
treat dx as an infinitesimal
The textbook describes an infinitesimal as a quantity almost equal to zero.
這本課本把無窮小量描述成幾乎等於零的量。
Professor Karim used one infinitesimal to model each tiny change in time.
Karim 教授用一個無窮小量來表示每一次極小的時間變化。
Without that infinitesimal, Joshua's model could not show the curve smoothly.
少了那個無窮小量，Joshua 的模型就無法平順呈現那條曲線。
- differential
in calculus, a symbol like dx may function as this kind of tiny change
- finite quantity
a quantity with a definite size rather than one that approaches zero
文法句型
treat X as an infinitesimal
an infinitesimal in a proof / model
用法筆記
Mostly used in mathematics or technical discussion. In everyday contexts, speakers usually say a tiny amount instead of using this noun.