Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

nilpotent

/nɪlˈpəʊtənt/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.82 in modern English

Syllables
nilpo-tent
IPA
/nɪlˈpəʊtənt/
11
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Such that, for some positive integer n, xⁿ = 0.

noun

A nilpotent element.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From nil (“not any”) + potent (“having power”) with literal meaning “having zero power” - bearing Latin roots nil and potens. Coined in 1870, along with idempotent, by American mathematician Benjamin Peirce to describe elements of associative algebras.

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

nilpotent algebra nilpotent ideal nilpotent orbit nilpotent semigroup

Frequently Paired Words

Questions

How do you pronounce nilpotent?
The recorded pronunciation is /nɪlˈpəʊtənt/.
What does nilpotent mean?
Such that, for some positive integer n, xⁿ = 0.
Where does nilpotent come from?
From nil (“not any”) + potent (“having power”) with literal meaning “having zero power” - bearing Latin roots nil and potens. Coined in 1870, along with idempotent, by American mathematician Benjamin Peirce to describe elements of associative algebras.

How to pronounce nilpotent

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “nilpotent”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/nɪlˈpəʊtənt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “nilpotent”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “nilpotent” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.