heuristic
n. countablen. a practical way of solving a problem that is not perfect but works for now. You use it as a mental shortcut to make decisions quickly when you do not have all the facts.
n. a practical approach to problem-solving or discovery that employs self-educating techniques, such as a rule of thumb, to find a satisfactory solution. Often contrasted with algorithms, which provide guaranteed, optimal results through exhaustive calculation.
Using a simple heuristic helps me prioritize my daily tasks.
The software uses a specific heuristic to identify potential security threats without scanning every single line of code.
In cognitive psychology, the availability heuristic describes the mental shortcut where people judge the probability of an event based on how easily examples come to mind.
From Ancient Greek εὑρίσκω (heurískō, “I find, discover”), albeit in a formation the Greeks themselves would not have recognised.
Typically paired with 'for' or 'to' when describing its application.