Word
scalar
/ˈskeɪɫɝ/
Definitions
01math/physics quantity
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Physics Technical
n. a quantity or measurement that has size (magnitude) but does not have a direction.
n. a physical quantity that is completely described by its magnitude and has no directional component.
Español:escalar
“Temperature is a scalar because it tells you how hot it is, but not in a direction.”
“Unlike velocity, which requires a directional vector, speed is a scalar quantity that only measures the rate of motion.”
Antonyms
02having magnitude only
C1 · Advanced Mathematics Technical
adj. describing a value that has size but no direction.
adj. pertaining to a quantity that possesses magnitude but lacks direction.
“The formula requires a scalar value rather than a complex coordinate.”
“The researcher noted that the scalar properties of the field were easier to calculate than the vector components.”
Antonyms
03computing/data
C1 · Advanced Computing Technical
adj. relating to a single value, like a single number, instead of a list or a group of numbers.
adj. denoting a variable or data type that holds a single value at a time, as opposed to an array or a vector.
“The function expects a scalar integer as an input, not a list of numbers.”
“Modern processors are designed to handle both scalar operations on single data points and SIMD operations on large vectors.”
Synonyms
04relating to a scale
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. relating to a scale or a series of steps or levels.
adj. of, relating to, or arranged in a scale or graduated series.
“The company uses a scalar system to decide how much to pay employees at different levels.”
“The report highlighted the scalar differences in regional economic growth over the last decade.”
05musical scale
C2 · Proficiency Music Technical
adj. relating to a musical scale.
adj. pertaining to or consisting of the notes of a musical scale.
“The pianist practiced scalar patterns to improve her finger speed.”
“The composition is characterized by rapid scalar passages that demand high technical proficiency from the soloist.”
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin scālāris, adjectival form from scāla (“a flight of steps, stairs, staircase, ladder, scale”), for *scadla, from scandere (“to climb”); compare scale. The mathematics sense was coined by Irish mathematician and astronomer William Rowan Hamilton in 1846.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/scalar
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0