reduction

Definition of reduction

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ʌkʃən

Etymology

From Middle English reduccion, from Old French reducion, from Latin reductio.

Noun

reduction (plural reductions)

1. The act, process, or result of reducing.
2. The amount or rate by which something is reduced, e.g. in price.
   
   A 5% reduction in robberies
   
   
3. (chemistry) A reaction in which electrons are gained and valence is reduced; often by the removal of oxygen or the addition of hydrogen.
4. (cooking) The process of rapidly boiling a sauce to concentrate it.
5. (mathematics) The rewriting of an expression into a simpler form.
6. (computability theory) a transformation of one problem into another problem, such as mapping reduction or polynomial reduction.
7. (music) An arrangement for a far smaller number of parties, e.g. a keyboard solo based on a full opera.
8. (philosophy, phenomenology) A philosophical procedure intended to reveal the objects of consciousness as pure phenomena.