Meanings
ansatz1
nounansatz (plural ansatzes or ansatze)
plural ansatzes · plural ansatze · alternative Ansatz
- mathematicsA mathematical assumption used to describe a certain phenomenon, posited in order to help provisionally solve an equation or other problem.First known use 20th c.
In such cases, scientists often make an ansatz, an educated guess if you like, and then proceed to compute the consequences of the guess.
2011, Brian Cox, Jeff Forshaw, The Quantum World, Allen Lane, published 2011, page 12
Ansatz2
Origin
- GermanAnsatz
- Englishansatz
Unadapted borrowing from German Ansatz.
More words from German
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Hungarian ansatz
- ansatza provisional mathematical assumption used to describe a certain phenomenon
Portuguese ansatz, Ansatz
- ansatza provisional mathematical assumption used to describe a certain phenomenon
- Ansatza provisional mathematical assumption used to describe a certain phenomenon
Swedish ansats
- ansatsa provisional mathematical assumption used to describe a certain phenomenon
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
ansatz. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ansatz
MLA
“ansatz.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ansatz. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ansatz,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ansatz.
Source: ansatz on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.