antidifferentiation

noun

an·​ti·​dif·​fer·​en·​ti·​a·​tion ¦an-ˌtī-ˌdi-fə-ˌren(t)-shē-¦ā-shən 

¦an-tē-

mathematics

: integration sense 3

Antidifferentiation is just differentiation backwards. The derivative of sin x is cos x, so the antiderivative of cos x is sin x; the derivative of x³ is 3x², so the antiderivative of 3x² is x³—you just go backwards. There's a bit more to it, but that's the basic idea.

—Mark Ryan, Calculus For Dummies, 2003

Word History

Etymology

anti- entry 1 + differentiation

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

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