entropy
noun
James R. NewmanJohn Simon
Did you know?
With its Greek prefix en-, meaning "within", and the trop- root here meaning "change", entropy basically means "change within (a closed system)". The closed system we usually think of when speaking of entropy (especially if we're not physicists) is the entire universe. But entropy applies to closed systems of any size. Entropy is seen when the ice in a glass of water in a warm room melts—that is, as the temperature of everything in the room evens out. In a slightly different type of entropy, a drop of food coloring in that glass of water soon spreads out evenly. However, when a nonphysicist uses the word, he or she is usually trying to describe a large-scale collapse.
Examples of entropy in a Sentence
Andreas Kluth, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
Employee insights are often indicative of areas where entropy is increasing.
—Kiran Yelamaneni, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
The tea’s entropy would seem to disappear, which would violate the second law of thermodynamics.
—Quanta Magazine, 25 Sep. 2024
That’s something the city badly needs, especially now, when the forces of entropy seem ready to exploit any chink and crevice.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 21 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for entropy 
Dictionary Entries Near entropy
Cite this Entry
“Entropy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entropy. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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entropy
noun
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