optimization

noun

op·ti·mi·za·tion ˌäp-tə-mə-ˈzā-shən

: 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 Their expertise helps businesses meet compliance requirements and identify opportunities for financial optimization and savings. —

William Mullane, USA TODAY, 14 Sep. 2024 Traditional data center designs didn’t fully factor in co-generation, heat and water load management with adjacent industries, grid optimization and local energy storage, as most of those concepts were experimental at the time. —

Timothy Papandreou, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024 Her other prior roles include SVP of wealth management, investor and treasury services and insurance finance, and VP of enterprise optimization. —

Sydney Lake, Fortune, 13 Sep. 2024 Critical cloud optimization tools Cloud computing remains a critical enabler of scalability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency, Gilchrist said. —

Bob Violino, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for optimization

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.