algebra
noun
al·ge·bra
ˈal-jə-brə 
1
: a generalization of arithmetic in which letters representing numbers are combined according to the rules of arithmetic
2
: any of various systems or branches of mathematics or logic concerned with the properties and relationships of abstract entities (such as complex numbers, matrices, sets, vectors, groups, rings, or fields) manipulated in symbolic form under operations often analogous to those of arithmetic compare boolean algebra
Examples of algebra in a Sentence
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Latinized versions of his name and of his most famous book title live on in the terms algorithm and algebra.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
The exams cover dozens of subjects, from college algebra to American literature, and have existed for 50 years.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
Readers may resent being abstracted into algebra, but they are nonetheless invited to sort themselves into one of four categories on the basis of a short quiz.
—Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
For many, the mention of algebra summons only unhappy memories of confused encounters with inscrutable equations.
—Dan Rockmore, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026
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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
The exams cover dozens of subjects, from college algebra to American literature, and have existed for 50 years.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
Readers may resent being abstracted into algebra, but they are nonetheless invited to sort themselves into one of four categories on the basis of a short quiz.
—Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
For many, the mention of algebra summons only unhappy memories of confused encounters with inscrutable equations.
—Dan Rockmore, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for algebra
Cite this Entry
“Algebra.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/algebra. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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algebra
noun
al·ge·bra
ˈal-jə-brə
: a branch of mathematics that uses letters to represent numbers and that studies numbers and the operations (as multiplication and addition) that are used on them
algebraic
adjective
ˌal-jə-ˈbrā-ik
algebraically
adverb
-ˈbrā-ə-k(ə-)lē
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