irreducible

[ ir-i-doo-suh-buh l, -dyoo- ]
/ ˌɪr ɪˈdu sə bəl, -ˈdyu- /

adjective

not reducible; incapable of being reduced or of being diminished or simplified further: the irreducible minimum.
incapable of being brought into a different condition or form.
Mathematics.
  1. of or relating to a polynomial that cannot be factored.
  2. of or relating to a group that cannot be written as the direct product of two of its subgroups.

Origin of irreducible

First recorded in 1625–35; ir-2 + reducible

OTHER WORDS FROM irreducible

ir·re·duc·i·bil·i·ty, ir·re·duc·i·ble·ness, noun ir·re·duc·i·bly, adverb

Example sentences from the Web for irreducible

British Dictionary definitions for irreducible

irreducible
/ (ˌɪrɪˈdjuːsɪbəl) /

adjective

not able to be reduced or lessened
not able to be brought to a simpler or reduced form
maths
  1. (of a polynomial) unable to be factorized into polynomials of lower degree, as (x ² + 1)
  2. (of a radical) incapable of being reduced to a rational expression, as √(x + 1)

Derived forms of irreducible

irreducibility or irreducibleness, noun irreducibly, adverb

Medical definitions for irreducible

irreducible
[ ĭr′ĭ-dōōsə-bəl ]

adj.

Impossible to reduce to a desired, simpler, or smaller form or amount.
Incapable of being made chemically simpler, or of being replaced, hydrogenated, or reduced in positive charge.

Other words from irreducible

ir′re•duc′i•bili•ty n. ir′re•duci•bly adv.