Meanings
- pluralplural of heuristic
- pluralplural onlyThe study of heuristic methods and principles.
- pluralplural onlyHeuristic methods and approaches considered collectively.
1 more example
Problem solving based on experience of working with other problems which share some characteristics of the current problem, but for which no algorithm is known. Good heuristics can reduce the time needed to solve problems by recognizing which possible approaches are unlikely to be successful. George Polya brought the notion of heuristics to a wide audience through his book How To Solve It. The second edition was published in 1957 and is still in print half a century later.
2009, Clapham, Christopher; James Nicholson; James R. Nicholson, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Mathematics - broadlypluralplural onlyhuman sciencesSimple, efficient rules which people often use to form judgments and make decisions.
- broadlypluralplural onlyengineeringExperience-based methods used to reduce the need for calculations pertaining to equipment size, performance, or operating conditions.
Origin
- Ancient Greekεὑρίσκω“I discover”
- New Latinheuristicus
- Germanheuristisch
- Englishheuristics
From heuristic, from German heuristisch, from New Latin heuristicus by irregular formation from Ancient Greek εὑρίσκω (heurískō, “I discover”).
More words from German, New Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 啟發法 /启发法
- 啟發法 /启发法 (qǐfā fǎ)Translations
Czech heuristika
- heuristikaTranslations
Esperanto heŭristiko
- heŭristikoTranslations
Finnish heuristiikka
- heuristiikkaTranslations
French heuristique
- heuristiqueTranslations
German Heuristik
- HeuristikTranslations
Hungarian heurisztika
- heurisztikaTranslations
Italian euristica
- euristicaTranslations
Polish heurystyka
- heurystykaTranslations
Portuguese heurística
- heurísticaTranslations
Russian эври́стика
- эври́стика (evrístika)Translations
Slovak heuristika
- heuristikaTranslations
Spanish heurística
- heurísticaTranslations
Swedish heuristik
- heuristikTranslations
Thai วิทยาการศึกษาสำนึก
- วิทยาการศึกษาสำนึกTranslations
Cite this entry
heuristics. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heuristics
“heuristics.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heuristics. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “heuristics,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heuristics.
Source: heuristics on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.