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

Did you know?

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
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Users are treated to an Infographic Mode to bring graphics to life, a Presentation Mode to help spreadsheets pop, and a sRGB Mode for image-centric content optimization. Paul Ridden, New Atlas, 15 Feb. 2025 The optimization goal in this case was to ensure that on a daily basis every bakery delivered all its croissants, and every coffee shop got all the croissants desired. Siobhan Roberts, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025 By designing the microgrid around site-specific consumption patterns, Hover is able to increase efficiency and accelerate optimization. Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025 It is typically used by sites with multiple pages as a search engine optimization tactic, to avoid their search ranking being diluted. David Gilbert, WIRED, 13 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for optimization 

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 22 Feb. 2025.

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