Exponent

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Exponent \Ex*po"nent\, n. [L. exponens, -entis, p. pr. of
     exponere to put out, set forth, expose. See {Expound}.]
     1. (Alg.) A number, letter, or any quantity written on the
        right hand of and above another quantity, and denoting how
        many times the latter is repeated as a factor to produce
        the power indicated;


  
     Note: thus a^{2} denotes the second power, and a^{x} the xth
           power, of a (2 and x being the exponents). A fractional
           exponent, or index, is used to denote the root of a
           quantity. Thus, a^{1/3} denotes the third or cube root
           of a.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. One who, or that which, stands as an index or
        representative; as, the leader of a party is the exponent
        of its principles.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. one who explains, expounds, or interprets.
        [PJC]
  
     {Exponent of a ratio}, the quotient arising when the
        antecedent is divided by the consequent; thus, 6 is the
        exponent of the ratio of 30 to 5. [R.]
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  exponent
       n 1: a person who pleads for a cause or propounds an idea [syn: {advocate},
             {advocator}, {proponent}]
       2: someone who expounds and interprets or explains
       3: a mathematical notation indicating the number of times a
          quantity is multiplied by itself [syn: {power}, {index}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  128 Moby Thesaurus words for "exponent":
     Maecenas, abettor, admirer, advocate, aficionado, allegorist,
     alter ego, alternate, amicus curiae, angel, annotator, apologist,
     attorney, backer, backup, backup man, booster, buff, case,
     case in point, champion, cicerone, clarifier, commentator, critic,
     cross section, cryptanalyst, cryptographer, cryptologist, decoder,
     defender, definer, demonstration, demonstrator, demythologizer,
     dependence, deputy, diaskeuast, dragoman, dummy, editor, emblem,
     embodiment, emendator, emender, encourager, endorser, euhemerist,
     example, executive officer, exegesist, exegete, exegetist,
     exemplar, exemplification, explainer, explanation, explicator,
     expositor, expounder, fan, favorer, figurehead, friend at court,
     go-between, guide, hermeneut, illustration, instance, interpreter,
     lexicographer, lieutenant, locum, locum tenens, lover, mainstay,
     maintainer, metaphrast, object lesson, oneirocritic, paranymph,
     paraphrast, partisan, patron, pinch hitter, pleader, procurator,
     promoter, proponent, protagonist, proxy, relevant instance,
     reliance, representation, representative, scholiast, second,
     second in command, secondary, seconder, sectary, sider, specimen,
     sponsor, stalwart, stand-in, standby, substitute, support,
     supporter, surrogate, sustainer, symbol, sympathizer,
     textual critic, translator, type, typical example, typification,
     understudy, upholder, utility man, vicar, vicar general, vice,
     vicegerent, votary, well-wisher
  
  

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  exponent
       
           (Or "characteristic") The part of a
          {floating-point} number specifying the power of ten by which
          the {mantissa} should be multiplied.  In the common notation,
          e.g. 3.1E8, the exponent is 8.
       
          (1995-02-27)