idempotence

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UK/ˌɪdɛmˈpəʊtəns/US/ˈaɪdəmˌpoʊtəns/

noun

A quality of an action such that repetitions of the action have no further effect on the outcome; the state of being idempotent.

Scrabble 18
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Meanings

nounidempotence (uncountable)

alternative idempotency

  1. uncountablecomputingA quality of an action such that repetitions of the action have no further effect on the outcome; the state of being idempotent.

    The proof (Tables 9 and 10) of idempotence for both OR and AND follows from examining the definition of each operation under the constraint that both inputs have the same value.

    2022 August 4, William Bahn, “Boolean Algebra Laws—Delving Into Boolean Identities”, in All About Circuits

Origin

Latin roots, idem (“same”) + potence (“the quality of having power”) – literally, “the quality of having the same power”. Coined by 19th century American mathematician Benjamin Peirce in context of algebra.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 冪等 /幂等
  • 冪等 /幂等 (mìděng)quality of an action such that repetitions of the action have no further effect on outcome – being idempotent
Finnish idempotenssi
  • idempotenssiquality of an action such that repetitions of the action have no further effect on outcome – being idempotent
French idempotence
  • idempotencequality of an action such that repetitions of the action have no further effect on outcome – being idempotent
Greek ταυτοδυναμία
  • ταυτοδυναμία (taftodynamía)quality of an action such that repetitions of the action have no further effect on outcome – being idempotent
Hungarian idempotencia
  • idempotenciaquality of an action such that repetitions of the action have no further effect on outcome – being idempotent
Polish idempotentność
  • idempotentnośćquality of an action such that repetitions of the action have no further effect on outcome – being idempotent
Russian идемпоте́нтность
  • идемпоте́нтность (idempoténtnostʹ)quality of an action such that repetitions of the action have no further effect on outcome – being idempotent
Spanish idempotencia
  • idempotenciaquality of an action such that repetitions of the action have no further effect on outcome – being idempotent
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

“idempotence.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/idempotence. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “idempotence,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/idempotence.

Source: idempotence on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.