neural network

American  

[noor-uhl net-wurk, nyoor-uhl] / ˈnʊr əl ˈnɛtˌwɜrk, ˈnyʊr əl /

noun

1. any group of neurons that conduct impulses in a coordinated manner, as the assemblages of brain cells that record a visual stimulus.

2. Also called neural net.  Computers.  a hardware or software system in which weighted connections between data nodes are refined to produce increasingly accurate results in information processing, as in pattern recognition or problem solving, with the goal of algorithmic computing that requires minimal human intervention.

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neural network British  

noun

1. an interconnected system of neurons, as in the brain or other parts of the nervous system

2. Also called: neural net.  an analogous network of electronic components, esp one in a computer designed to mimic the operation of the human brain

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Etymology

Origin of neural network

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

Researchers can use this virtual cortex to study how neurological disorders form, how brain waves contribute to attention, and how seizures move through neural networks.

From Science Daily

In a groundbreaking step, researchers at the University of Tokyo applied a type of artificial intelligence known as a Bayesian neural network to study gut bacteria.

From Science Daily

Earlier models were “dense”: Every time they received a prompt, a substantial portion of the nodes within their neural networks had to be activated to answer it.

From The Wall Street Journal

They might serve as a metaphor for highways, or neural networks indicating the reach of human imagination.

From The Wall Street Journal

Seen from above, meandering rivers resemble vascular systems or neural networks.

From Los Angeles Times