n.
Pronunciation: ' mä-j ə -l ə s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -li \ - ˌ l ī , - ˌ l ē \
Etymology: New Latin, from Latin, small measure
Date: 1753
1 a : the factor by which a logarithm of a number to one base is multiplied to obtain the logarithm of the number to a new base b : ABSOLUTE VALUE 2 c (1) : the number (as a positive integer) or other mathematical entity (as a polynomial) in a congruence that divides the difference of the two congruent members without leaving a remainder ― compare RESIDUE b (2) : the number of different numbers used in a system of modular arithmetic
2 : a constant or coefficient that expresses usually numerically the degree to which a body or substance possesses a particular property (as elasticity)