From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Algorism \Al"go*rism\, Algorithm \Al"go*rithm\, n. [OE.
algorism, algrim, augrim, OF. algorisme, F. algorithme (cf.
Sp. algoritmo, OSp. alguarismo, LL. algorismus), fr. the Ar.
al-Khow[=a]rezm[imac] of Khow[=a]rezm, the modern Khiwa,
surname of Abu Ja'far Mohammed ben Mus[=a], author of a work
on arithmetic early in the 9th century, which was translated
into Latin, such books bearing the name algorismus. The
spelling with th is due to a supposed connection with Gr. ?
number.]
1. The art of calculating by nine figures and zero;
computation with Arabic figures.
[1913 Webster]
2. the Arabic system of numeration.
Syn: decimal system
[WordNet 1.5]
3. The art of calculating with any species of notation; as,
the algorithms of fractions, proportions, surds, etc.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
algorism
n 1: the Arabic (or decimal) system of numeration
2: computation with Arabic figures
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