optimization

noun

op·​ti·​mi·​za·​tion ˌäp-tə-mə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce optimization (audio)
: an act, process, or methodology of making something (such as a design, system, or decision) as fully perfect, functional, or effective as possible
specifically : the mathematical procedures (such as finding the maximum of a function) involved in this

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Optimization started its gradual perfection in mid-19th-century English, when it was derived from optimize, a word first used in the early part of that same century with the meaning "to make the best or most of." In basic applications, optimization refers to the act or process of making something as good as it can be. In the 21st century, it has seen much use in technical contexts having to do with attaining the best possible functionality, as in "network optimization" and "search engine optimization" (SEO). Like the words optimum and optimism (which refer, respectively, to the amount or degree of something that is best or most effective, and to a feeling or belief that good things will happen in the future), optimize and optimization derive from Latin optimus, meaning "best."

Examples of optimization in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The quest for physical optimization can easily become a substitute for deeper fulfillment. Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024 Sleep like your favorite streamer Take notes from bloggers and influencers who swear by sleep optimization. Hilary Tetenbaum, Detroit Free Press, 8 Apr. 2024 Use techniques like robust optimization to enhance model security. David Balaban, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024 Dermal fillers can be injected along the jawline to add volume, correct asymmetry and jaw projection, while other facial optimization procedures offered by GLO|ARK can address both medical and dentofacial orthopedics. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 8 Apr. 2024 Onely, a search optimization firm, estimates that using SGE can make a user’s overall research journey 10 to 20 times shorter by assembling pros and cons, prices and other information into one place. Geoffrey A. Fowler, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024 Of course, building an optimization model is a specialized skill. Edward Rothberg, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024 Today, designers need to know chip design, system-architecture design, and hardware and software optimization. Mark Liu, IEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2024 This has transformed our approach to account management, campaign optimization and planning. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'optimization.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

optimize + -ation

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of optimization was in 1857

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Dictionary Entries Near optimization

Cite this Entry

“Optimization.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optimization. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

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