polynomial

noun

1. (strict-sense)An expression consisting of a sum of a finite number of terms, each term being the product of a constant coefficient and one or more variables raised to a non-negative integer power, such as a_nxⁿ+a_n-1xⁿ⁻¹+...+a_0x⁰.

   “Unfortunately, an analogous attack on the octic polynomial becomes exceedingly complicated.”

   “Our upper bound is the best possible, and it implies the existence of low-rank factorizations of positive semidefinite bivariate matrix polynomials and representations of biforms as sums of few squares.”

2. A taxonomic designation (such as of a subspecies) consisting of more than two terms.
3. A type of term consisting of multiple parts.

   “Alternatively, there are polynomials denoting stages of the day: tónglóng 曈昽 “ light at daybreak”; or meteorological phenomena, such as wùsōng 雾凇 “(soft) rime”, àidài 叆叇 “ (of clouds) dense”.”

   “The same corpus is used as in the analysis of the thematic scope of polynomials, except that in this case only 720 binomes will be considered.”

adj

1. (not-comparable)Able to be described or limited by a polynomial.
2. (not-comparable)Of a polynomial name or entity.