mersenne: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowTechnical / Academic (Mathematics, Computer Science)
Quick answer
What does “mersenne” mean?
A prime number expressible in the form 2^p - 1, where p is itself prime.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A prime number expressible in the form 2^p - 1, where p is itself prime.
Primarily refers to Mersenne prime numbers, a special category in number theory named after French mathematician Marin Mersenne. Can also reference related mathematical concepts like Mersenne conjectures or the Mersenne Twister pseudorandom number generator.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage between British and American English within mathematical literature.
Connotations
Associated with advanced number theory, computational mathematics, and prime number research.
Frequency
Equally rare in both varieties, appearing only in specialised technical publications.
Grammar
How to Use “mersenne” in a Sentence
Mersenne prime [of exponent n]Mersenne number [is prime/composite]search for Mersenne primesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “mersenne” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The Mersenne prime discovery was a major event.
American English
- They analysed the Mersenne number properties.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used in business contexts.
Academic
Used exclusively in advanced mathematics and computer science research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Core term in number theory and certain algorithms (e.g., Mersenne Twister PRNG).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “mersenne”
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “mersenne”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mersenne”
- Writing 'Mersene' or 'Mersenn' (misspelling)
- Pronouncing it as /mɜːrˈsiːn/
- Using it as a common noun without capitalisation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A Mersenne prime is a prime number that can be written in the form 2^p - 1, where p is also a prime number. Examples include 3 (2²-1), 7 (2³-1), and 31 (2⁵-1).
Marin Mersenne (1588–1648) was a French polymath, philosopher, mathematician, and music theorist. He studied numbers of the form 2^p - 1, which were later named after him.
No. For it to be a Mersenne prime, p must be prime, but that is not sufficient. For example, 2¹¹ - 1 = 2047, which is 23 * 89, so it is composite.
Beyond prime numbers, 'Mersenne Twister' is a widely used pseudorandom number generator in computer science, named due to its period length being a Mersenne prime.
A prime number expressible in the form 2^p - 1, where p is itself prime.
Mersenne is usually technical / academic (mathematics, computer science) in register.
Mersenne: in British English it is pronounced /mɛəˈsɛn/, and in American English it is pronounced /mərˈsɛn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Marin Mersenne's name ends with '-enne', just like the number patterns he studied.
Conceptual Metaphor
A mathematical 'perfect specimen' or a 'rarified treasure' in the hunt for primes.
Practice
Quiz
What field is the term 'Mersenne' exclusively associated with?