# determinism

/dɪˈtɝməˌnɪzəm/ (US) · /dɪtˈɜːmɪnˌɪzəm/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/determinism
Updated: 2026-05-28

## Definition

the idea that everything that happens is the result of what happened before. In computing, it means a program will always give the same result if you start it with the same data.

For teachers: the philosophical doctrine that all events, including human action, are ultimately determined by causes external to the will. In a computational context, it refers to the property of a system where the same input will always produce the same output.

## Examples

- The scientist believes in strict determinism.
- The debate between free will and determinism has persisted for centuries, with some arguing that our choices are merely the inevitable result of prior physical states.

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