Found 2 items, similar to heuristic.
English → English (WordNet) Definition: heuristic heuristic adj : of or relating to or using a general formulation that serves to guide investigation [ant: algorithmic] n : a commonsense rule (or set of rules) intended to increase the probability of solving some problem [syn: heuristic rule , heuristic program]
English → English (gcide) Definition: Heuristic Heuristic \Heu*ris"tic\ (h[-u]*r[i^]s"t[i^]k), n. 1. A heuristic method; a specific heuristic procedure. [PJC] 2. A theory or approach which serves to promote discovery or learning by encouraging experimentation. [PJC] Heuristic \Heu*ris"tic\ (h[-u]*r[i^]s"t[i^]k), a. [Gr. e"yri`skein to discover.] 1. Serving to promote discovery or learning; -- used especially of thories or paradigms which stimulate new ideas for discovering facts in experimental sciences. [1913 Webster +PJC] 2. Serving to stimulate people to learn and discover on their own, especially by encouraging experimental and trial-and-error methods for solving problems. [PJC] 3. Pertaining to or based on trial-and-error and experimental methods of learning and evaluation. [PJC] 4. (Computers) Based on the use of an efficient trial-and error method to search a space of possible solutions to a problem, or to find an acceptable approximate solution, when an exact algorithmic method is unavailable or too time-consuming. [PJC]