noun entropy A thermodynamic quantity representing the unavailability of a system's thermal energy for conversion into mechanical work, often interpreted as the degree of disorder or randomness in the system. 1
noun entropy physics: measure of disorder 1
noun entropy chaos, disorder 1
noun Definition of entropy in Technology (theory) A measure of the disorder of a system. Systems tend to go from a state of order (low entropy) to a state of maximum disorder (high entropy). The entropy of a system is related to the amount of information it contains. A highly ordered system can be described using fewer bits of information than a disordered one. For example, a string containing one million "0"s can be described using run-length encoding as [("0", 1000000)] whereas a string of random symbols (e.g. bits, or characters) will be much harder, if not impossible, to compress in this way. H(M) = -log2 p(M) Where p(M) is the probability of message M. 1
uncountable noun entropy Entropy is a state of disorder, confusion, and disorganization. 0
noun entropy a thermodynamic quantity that changes in a reversible process by an amount equal to the heat absorbed or emitted divided by the thermodynamic temperature. It is measured in joules per kelvin 0
noun entropy a statistical measure of the disorder of a closed system expressed by S = klog P + c where P is the probability that a particular state of the system exists, k is the Boltzmann constant, and c is another constant 0
noun entropy lack of pattern or organization; disorder 0
noun entropy a measure of the efficiency of a system, such as a code or language, in transmitting information 0
noun entropy a thermodynamic measure of the amount of energy unavailable for useful work in a system undergoing change 0
noun entropy a measure of the degree of disorder in a substance or a system: entropy always increases and available energy diminishes in a closed system, as the universe 0
noun entropy in information theory, a measure of the information content of a message evaluated as to its uncertainty 0
noun entropy a process of degeneration marked variously by increasing degrees of uncertainty, disorder, fragmentation, chaos, etc.; specif., such a process regarded as the inevitable, terminal stage in the life of a social system or structure 0
