discriminant
/dɪˈskrɪmɪnənt
/noun
1A distinguishing feature or characteristic: anaemia is commonly present in patients with both conditions, and is therefore not a helpful discriminant...
- The relative impact of these characteristics was explored in discriminant analyses.
- We thus obtained measures of environmental and mammal community characteristics, independent of the discriminant analyses of macrohabitats.
- Although there is general agreement that service quality and satisfaction are distinct constructs, some researchers have had difficulty establishing the discriminant validity of the two constructs.
1.1 Mathematics A function of the coefficients of a polynomial equation whose value gives information about the roots of the polynomial. See also discriminant function.Laplace, in 1795, tried to prove the FTA using a completely different approach using the discriminant of a polynomial....
- The canonical discriminant function procedure was used for evaluating the overall discriminant regression equation.
- Variable represents the discriminant of the cubic polynomial,
Origin
Mid 19th century (in the sense 'showing discernment'): from Latin discriminant- 'distinguishing between', from the verb discriminare (see discriminate).