eigenvector

3 synonyms for eigenvector, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — In linear algebra, a vector that keeps its direction and is only stretched or shrunk, not rotated, when a particular linear transformation is applied to it.

Synonyms

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

characteristic vector latent vector proper vector

How to use eigenvector

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

eigenvector of a matrix corresponding eigenvector dominant eigenvector eigenvalue and eigenvector

It is a specialist mathematical term used mainly in linear algebra, physics and engineering.

Etymology

Formed from the prefix eigen- attached to vector, closely following the German word Eigenvektor. The mathematician David Hilbert first used the eigen- prefix in 1904, and he may have taken the idea from an earlier related use by Hermann von Helmholtz.

Full origin of eigenvector →

Frequently asked questions

What is an eigenvector in simple terms?

It is a vector that, under a given linear transformation, only gets longer, shorter or flipped, rather than turned to point in a new direction.

What is the difference between an eigenvector and an eigenvalue?

The eigenvector is the direction that stays fixed under the transformation, while the eigenvalue is the number that says how much the eigenvector is scaled.

Where does the word eigenvector come from?

It combines the German-derived prefix eigen- with the English word vector, closely mirroring the German term Eigenvektor.

Nearby words

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