REDUCTION

reduction, simplification

(noun) the act of reducing complexity

decrease, diminution, reduction, step-down

(noun) the act of decreasing or reducing something

reduction, reducing

(noun) any process in which electrons are added to an atom or ion (as by removing oxygen or adding hydrogen); always occurs accompanied by oxidation of the reducing agent

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Noun

reduction (countable and uncountable, plural reductions)

The act, process, or result of reducing.

The amount or rate by which something is reduced, e.g. in price.

(chemistry) A reaction in which electrons are gained and valence is reduced; often by the removal of oxygen or the addition of hydrogen.

(cooking) The process of rapidly boiling a sauce to concentrate it.

(mathematics) The rewriting of an expression into a simpler form.

(computability theory) a transformation of one problem into another problem, such as mapping reduction or polynomial reduction.

(music) An arrangement for a far smaller number of parties, e.g. a keyboard solo based on a full opera.

(philosophy, phenomenology) A philosophical procedure intended to reveal the objects of consciousness as pure phenomena. (See phenomenological reduction.)

(medicine) A medical procedure to restore a fracture or dislocation to the correct alignment.

Synonyms

• (act, process, or result of reducing): decline, lessening; See also diminution

• (amount by which something is reduced): extract, reduction; See also decrement

Antonyms

• (act, process, or result of reducing): elevation, expansion, increase, promotion; See also augmentation

• (amount by which something is reduced): addition, supplement; See also adjunct

• (chemistry): oxidation

Anagrams

• introduce

Source: Wiktionary

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Re*duc"tion (r*dk"shn), n. Etym: [F. réduction, L. reductio. See Reduce.]

1. The act of reducing, or state of being reduced; conversion to a given state or condition; diminution; conquest; as, the reduction of a body to powder; the reduction of things to order; the reduction of the expenses of government; the reduction of a rebellious province.

2. (Arith. & Alq.)

Definition: The act or process of reducing. See Reduce, v. t., 6. and To reduce an equation, To reduce an expression, under Reduce, v. t.

3. (Astron.) (a) The correction of observations for known errors of instruments, etc. (b) The preparation of the facts and measurements of observations in order to deduce a general result.

4. The process of making a copy of something, as a figure, design, or draught, on a smaller scale, preserving the proper proportions. Fairholt.

5. (Logic)

Definition: The bringing of a syllogism in one of the so-called imperfect modes into a mode in the first figure.

6. (Chem. & Metal.)

Definition: The act, process, or result of reducing; as, the reduction of iron from its ores; the reduction of aldehyde from alcohol.

7. (Med.)

Definition: The operation of restoring a dislocated or fractured part to its former place. Reduction ascending (Arith.), the operation of changing numbers of a lower into others of a higher denomination, as cents to dollars.

– Reduction descending (Arith.), the operation of changing numbers of a higher into others of a lower denomination, as dollars to cents.

Syn.

– Diminution; decrease; abatement; curtailment; subjugation; conquest; subjection.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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