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

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Since its establishment, 12AM has helped hundreds of businesses enhance their online visibility through strategies rooted in Google Ads, Amazon optimization, and SEO management. Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024 For us, that informs all other data sets: forecasts, price elasticity, promotion, media optimization. James Manso, WWD, 13 Dec. 2024 And Dollar General is currently in the middle of a distribution optimization, exiting four distribution centers (DCs) in the third quarter for a total of 15 within the past 12 months. Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 9 Dec. 2024 Culinary nourishment, mindful movement, spending time focusing on brain health and neuroplasticity, and sleep optimization with truly restorative sleep. Renée Onque, CNBC, 7 Dec. 2024 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 21 Dec. 2024.

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