exponential

American  

[ek-spoh-nen-shuhl, -spuh-] / ˌɛk spoʊˈnɛn ʃəl, -spə- /

adjective

1. of or relating to an exponent or exponents.

2. Mathematics.

   1. of or relating to the constant e.

   2. (of an equation) having one or more unknown variables in one or more exponents.

3. rising or expanding at a steady, rapid rate.

   a city experiencing exponential growth.

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noun

1. Mathematics.

   1. the constant e raised to the power equal to a given expression, as e 3 x, which is the exponential of 3 x.

   2. any positive constant raised to a power.

exponential British  

/ ˌɛkspəʊˈnɛnʃəl /

adjective

1. maths (of a function, curve, series, or equation) of, containing, or involving one or more numbers or quantities raised to an exponent, esp e x

2.  exp.  maths raised to the power of e, the base of natural logarithms

3. of or involving an exponent or exponents

4. informal very rapid

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noun

1. maths an exponential function, etc

exponential Scientific  

/ ĕk′spə-nĕn′shəl /

1. Relating to a mathematical expression containing one or more exponents.

2. ◆ Something is said to increase or decrease exponentially if its rate of change must be expressed using exponents. A graph of such a rate would appear not as a straight line, but as a curve that continually becomes steeper or shallower.

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Other Word Forms

• exponentially adverb
• nonexponential adjective

Etymology

Origin of exponential

First recorded in 1695–1705; exponent + -ial

Example Sentences

Admire how it has reclaimed its 21 day exponential moving average and has now formed a bull flag.

From Barron's

It is rare in its group because it never undercut its 200 day simple moving average, and is trading right at its 21 day exponential moving average, which signals strong momentum.

From Barron's

Over the past six months, it has never given up its 21-day exponential moving average, a key momentum gauge.

From Barron's

In December, it spread beyond software engineers and began growing at an exponential rate.

From The Wall Street Journal

What they won’t tell you is that every year you spend climbing someone else’s ladder is a year you lose the exponential benefits of being young, broke and underestimated.

From The Wall Street Journal