# memoization

CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/memoization
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Definition

a technique in computer programming that makes code run faster by remembering the results of difficult calculations. Instead of doing the same work again, the computer just looks up the answer it saved earlier.

For teachers: an optimization technique used primarily to speed up computer programs by storing the results of expensive function calls and returning the cached result when the same inputs occur again.

## Examples

- The developer used memoization to make the app load much faster.
- By implementing memoization, the software team reduced the execution time of the complex data processing script from minutes to seconds.
- In functional programming, memoization serves as a powerful tool for optimizing recursive algorithms, effectively transforming an exponential time complexity into a linear one by avoiding redundant sub-problem evaluations.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used in the context of dynamic programming and algorithm design.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.