De-tér'mi-nant1, a.
a. Serving to determine; determinative.
2 entries under this word
Determinant
De-tĕr′mi-nant2, n.
n. 1. That which serves to determine; that which causes determination. 2. (Math.) The sum of a series of products of several numbers, these products being formed according to certain specified laws; thus, the determinant of the nine numbers | a, b, c, a′, b′, c′, a″, b″, c″, | is a b′ c″ − a b″ c′ + a′ b″ c + a″ b c′ − a″ b′ c − a′ b c″. The theory of determinants forms a very important branch of modern mathematics.