7 results for: interpolate

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

in·ter·po·late

Audio Help [in-tur-puh-leyt] Pronunciation Key verb, -lat·ed, -lat·ing.

–verb (used with object)

1.	to introduce (something additional or extraneous) between other things or parts; interject; interpose; intercalate.

2.	Mathematics. to insert, estimate, or find an intermediate term in (a sequence).

3.	to alter (a text) by the insertion of new matter, esp. deceptively or without authorization.

4.	to insert (new or spurious matter) in this manner.

–verb (used without object)

5.	to make an interpolation.

[Origin: 1605–15; < L interpolātus ptp. of interpolāre to make new, refurbish, touch up, equiv. to inter- inter- + -polā- v. s. (akin to polīre to polish) + -tus ptp. suffix

]

—Related forms

in·ter·po·la·ble

Audio Help [in-tur-puh-luh-buh

l] Pronunciation Key, adjective

in·ter·po·lat·er, in·ter·po·la·tor, noun

in·ter·po·la·to·ry

Audio Help [in-tur-puh-luh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] Pronunciation Key, in·ter·po·la·tive, adjective

in·ter·po·la·tive·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
interpolate

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

in·ter·po·late Audio Help   (ĭn-tûr'pə-lāt') Pronunciation Key
v.   in·ter·po·lat·ed, in·ter·po·lat·ing, in·ter·po·lates

v.   tr.

To insert or introduce between other elements or parts.
1. To insert (material) into a text.
2. To insert into a conversation. See Synonyms at introduce.
To change or falsify (a text) by introducing new or incorrect material.
Mathematics To estimate a value of (a function or series) between two known values.

v. intr.
To make insertions or additions.

[Latin interpolāre, interpolāt-, to touch up, refurbish, from interpolis, refurbished; see pel-⁵ in Indo-European roots.]

in·ter'po·la'tion n., in·ter'po·la'tive adj., in·ter'po·la'tor n.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
interpolate

1612 (implied in interpolation) "to alter or enlarge (a writing) by inserting new material," from L. interpolatus, pp. of interpolare "alter, freshen up, falsify," from inter- "up" + polare, related to polire "to smoothe, polish." Sense evolved in L. from "refurbish," to "alter appearance of," to "falsify (especially by adding new material)."

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

interpolate
verb
1.	estimate the value of
2.	insert words into texts, often falsifying it thereby

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Interpolate

In*ter"po*late\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Interpolated; p. pr. & vb. n. Interpolating.] [L. interpolatus, p. p. of interpolare to form anew, to interpolate, fr. interpolus, interpolis, falsified, vamped up, polished up; inter between + polire to polish. See Polish, v. t.]

1. To renew; to carry on with intermission. [Obs.]

Motion . . . partly continued and unintermitted, . . . partly interpolated and interrupted. --Sir M. Hale.

2. To alter or corrupt by the insertion of new or foreign matter; especially, to change, as a book or text, by the insertion of matter that is new, or foreign to the purpose of the author.

How strangely Ignatius is mangled and interpolated, you may see by the vast difference of all copies and editions. --Bp. Barlow.

The Athenians were put in possession of Salamis by another law, which was cited by Solon, or, as some think, interpolated by him for that purpose. --Pope.

3. (Math.) To fill up intermediate terms of, as of a series, according to the law of the series; to introduce, as a number or quantity, in a partial series, according to the law of that part of the series.

Dictionary.com Word of the Day Archive - Cite This Source - Share This

interpolate

interpolate was Word of the Day on June 4, 2003.

Dictionary.com Word of the Day

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