Meanings
- quantum mechanicsnatural sciencesThe principle that there is an absolute limit on the combined accuracy of certain pairs of simultaneous, related measurements, especially that of the position and momentum of a particle. Originally posited as a problem of measurement, it was soon refined as an inherent property of the universe.
Synonyms: uncertainty principle, indeterminacy principle, Heisenberg principle
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounThe principle that there is an absolute limit on the combined accuracy of certain pairs of simultaneous, related measurements, especially that of the position and momentum of a particle. Originally posited as a problem of measurement, it was soon refined as an inherent property of the universe.
Origin
Named for Werner Heisenberg, its discoverer, translated into English from a variety of original German terms. Heisenberg originally called the concept Ungenauigkeit (inexactness) or Unbestimmtheit (undeterminedness), whereas his mentor and collaborator Niels Bohr often used Unsicherheit (unsureness). Today in German the most commonly used term for the principle is Unschärfe (blurredness or fuzziness).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 海森堡不確定性原理 /海森堡不确定性原理
- 海森堡不確定性原理 /海森堡不确定性原理 (Hǎisēnbǎo bùquèdìngxìng yuánlǐ)physical principle
Finnish Heisenbergin epätarkkuusperiaate
- Heisenbergin epätarkkuusperiaatephysical principle
French principe d'incertitude d'Heisenberg
- principe d'incertitude d'Heisenbergphysical principle
German Heisenbergsche Unschärferelation, Unschärferelation
- Heisenbergsche Unschärferelationphysical principle
- Unschärferelationphysical principle
Greek αρχή της απροσδιοριστίας του Χάιζενμπεργκ
- αρχή της απροσδιοριστίας του Χάιζενμπεργκ (archí tis aprosdioristías tou Cháizenmpergk)physical principle
Hungarian Heisenberg-féle határozatlansági elv
- Heisenberg-féle határozatlansági elvphysical principle
Italian principio di indeterminazione di Heisenberg
- principio di indeterminazione di Heisenbergphysical principle
Japanese ハイゼンベルグの不確定性原理
- ハイゼンベルグの不確定性原理 (Haizenberugu no fukakuteisei genri)physical principle
Korean 하이젠베르크 불확실성 원리
- 하이젠베르크 불확실성 원리 (Haijenbereukeu bulhwaksilseong wolli)physical principle
Polish zasada nieoznaczoności Heisenberga
- zasada nieoznaczoności Heisenbergaphysical principle
Romanian principiul incertitudinii al lui Heisenberg
- principiul incertitudinii al lui Heisenbergphysical principle
Russian при́нцип неопределённости Гейзенбе́рга
- при́нцип неопределённости Гейзенбе́рга (príncip neopredeljónnosti Gejzenbɛ́rga)physical principle
Spanish principio de indeterminación de Heisenberg
- principio de indeterminación de Heisenbergphysical principle
Cite this entry
Heisenberg uncertainty principle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Heisenberg%20uncertainty%20principle
“Heisenberg uncertainty principle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Heisenberg%20uncertainty%20principle. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Heisenberg uncertainty principle,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Heisenberg%20uncertainty%20principle.
Source: Heisenberg uncertainty principle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.