In geometry, a fractal is a shape made up of parts that are the same shape as itself and are of smallerand smaller sizes.
fractal in British English
(ˈfræktəl) mathematics
noun
1.
a figure or surface generated by successive subdivisions of a simpler polygon or polyhedron, according to some iterative process
adjective
2.
of, relating to, or involving such a process
fractal geometry
fractal curve
Word origin
C20: from Latin frāctus past participle of frangere to break
fractal in American English
(ˈfræktəl)
US
noun
Geometry
an extremely irregular line or surface formed of an infinite number of similarly irregular sections: fractals have fractional dimension between one and two, or between two and three, dimensions
Word origin
< L fractus (see fractus) + -al
Examples of 'fractal' in a sentence
fractal
But he spent 10 years consciously refining his pouring technique to increase the visual complexity of these fractal patterns.