shortlex

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noun

A total ordering for finite sequences of objects that can themselves be totally ordered. Sequences are primarily sorted by cardinality (length) with the shortest sequences first, and sequences of the same length are sorted into lexicographic order.

“a shortlex normal form”

Scrabble 18
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Meanings

nounshortlex (uncountable)
  1. attributiveoftenuncountablemathematicsA total ordering for finite sequences of objects that can themselves be totally ordered. Sequences are primarily sorted by cardinality (length) with the shortest sequences first, and sequences of the same length are sorted into lexicographic order.

    a shortlex normal form

Origin

From short lexicographic.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

shortlex. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shortlex

MLA

“shortlex.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shortlex. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shortlex,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shortlex.

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