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butterfly effect
noun
- a cumulatively large effect that a very small natural force may produce over a period of time.
butterfly effect
noun
- the idea, used in chaos theory, that a very small difference in the initial state of a physical system can make a significant difference to the state at some later time
butterfly effect
/ bŭt′ər-flī′ /
- A phenomenon in which a small perturbation in the initial condition of a system results in large changes in later conditions. Such phenomena are common in complex dynamical systems and are studied in chaos theory.
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Word History and Origins
Origin of butterfly effect1
First recorded in 1980–85; so called from the notion that the fluttering of a butterfly's wings may set off currents that will grow into a large storm
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Word History and Origins
Origin of butterfly effect1
C20: from the theory that a butterfly flapping its wings in one part of the world might ultimately cause a hurricane in another part of the world
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