Iverson bracket

noun

A notation that denotes a number that is 1 if the condition in square brackets is satisfied, and 0 otherwise, i.e. (where P is a true or false statement)

“[P]=1ifPistrue;\0otherwise.”

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Meanings

nounIverson bracket (plural Iverson brackets)

plural Iverson brackets

  1. mathematicsA notation that denotes a number that is 1 if the condition in square brackets is satisfied, and 0 otherwise, i.e. (where P is a true or false statement)

    [P]=1ifPistrue;\0otherwise.

Origin

Named after Kenneth E. Iverson, who introduced this notation in his programming language APL.

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Cite this entry
APA

Iverson bracket. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Iverson%20bracket

MLA

“Iverson bracket.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Iverson%20bracket. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Iverson bracket,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Iverson%20bracket.

Source: Iverson bracket on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.