Forms: α. 3–6 augrim, 4 -ym, 5 -ime, -yme, awgrym, algram, 6 agrym(e, -ime, 7 agrum, algrim. β. 4–6 algorisme, 5 -ysme, algarism, 6 algarosme, aulgorism(e, augrisme, 7–9 algorism, algorithm. [a. OFr. augorisme, algorisme, augorime; ad. med.L. algorism-us (cf. Sp. guarismo cipher), f. Arab. al-Khowārazmī, the native of Khwārazm (Khiva), surname of the Arab mathematician Abu Ja’far Mohammed Ben Musa, who flourished early in the 9th c., and through the translation of whose work on Algebra, the Arabic numerals became generally known in Europe. (Cf. ‘Euclid’ = plane geometry.) Algorisme being popularly reduced in OFr. to augorime, English also shows two forms, the popular augrime, ending in agrim, agrum, and the learned algorism which passed through many pseudo-etymological perversions, including a recent algorithm in which it is learnedly confused with Gr. ἀριθμός ‘number.’]
The Arabic, or decimal system of numeration; hence, arithmetic. Numbers of algorism, the Arabic or Indian numerals. Cypher in algorism, the figure 0; a ‘mere cipher,’ a dummy.
a. 1230. Ancr. R., 214. [He] makeð þerinne figures of augrim, ase þeos rikenares doð ꝥ habbeð muchel uorto rikenen.
1340. Ayenb., 1. Þe capiteles of þe boc … byeþ ywryte … by þe tellynge of algorisme.
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol. (1872), 5. Ouer the wiche degrees ther ben nowmbres of augrym.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 89. Of arsmetique the matere Is … Wnat algorisme in nombre amounteth.
1399. Langl., Rich. Redeless, IV. 53. As siphre … in awgrym, That noteth a place, and nothing availith.
1483. Cath. Angl., Algarism (v.r. Algram); algarismus, abacus.
1530. Palsgr., 476/2. I caste an accomptes with counters after the aulgorisme maner. Ibid., 684/2. I reken, I counte by cyfers of agrym.
1532. More, Confut. Barnes, VIII. Wks. 1557, 772/1. Mysse-pryntynge those fygures of Algorisme, because the figure of .9. and the figure of .6. be all in maner one, if thei be contrary turned.
1542. Recorde, Gr. Artes (1575), 40. Corruptlye written … Augrim for algorisme, as the Arabians sounde it.
1549. Chaloner, Erasm. Moriæ Enc., L iij b. Other men stande for no more than Ciphres in Algorisme.
1561. T. N[orton], Calvin’s Inst. (1634), Pref. 3. I have … quoted the Sections also by their due number with the usuall figure of Algorisme.
1553–87. Foxe, A. & M., III. 265. As a Cypher in Agrime.
1566. Drant, Hor. Sat., ii. B 2. As well by augrisme tell the gravell of the sea.
1591. Garrard, Art Warre, 129. Good knowledge in the Mathematikes specially in Algarosme, Algebra, and Geometrie.
1593. Peele, Edw. I., 84. Neither one, two, nor three, but a poor cypher in agrum.
1625. L’Isle, Du Bartas, 140. The treasures hoard of Algrim mysteries.
1699. Phil. Trans., XXI. 262. The Indian Algorism (or Calculation by the Numeral Figures now in use). Ibid., 263. The Algorithm or Numeral Figures now in use.
1774. T. Warton, Hist. Eng. Poetry, III. 46. The first who brought the algorithm from the Saracens.
1837. Hallam, Hist. Lit., I. I. ii. § 30. 114. Matthew Paris observes that in Greek … any number may be represented by a single figure, which is not the case … in Algorism.
1852. R. Grant, Hist. Phys. Astron., Introd. 9. The ingenious algorithm of the Indians.
1861. T. Wright, Ess. Archæol., II. xv. 70. The figures of the algorismus are identical in every respect with the characters of the abacus.
Attrib. algorism-stones, counters.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Millere’s T., 24. His augrym stoones, leyen faire apart.
1535. More, Lett., Wks. 1458/1 (J.). I send now to my good daughter Clement her algorisme stone.
