How to pronounce nilpotent
Say it like nil-POH-tunt. Nilpotent has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (POH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce nilpotent. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- nil
- POH
- tunt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Nilpotent pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- nilKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- POHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- tuntKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of nilpotent
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: nil-POH-tunt.
What does nilpotent mean?
- Such that, for some positive integer n, xⁿ = 0.“If a square matrix is upper triangular and has zeros on the diagonal, then it is nilpotent (under the usual matrix multiplication).”
- Belonging to the derived algebra of L and such that the adjoint action of x is nilpotent (as a linear transformation on L).
- Such that the lower central series terminates.
- A nilpotent element.
Where does nilpotent come from?
Coined in 1870, along with idempotent, by American mathematician Benjamin Peirce to describe elements of associative algebras.
Questions about saying nilpotent
How do you pronounce nilpotent?
Say nil-POH-tunt. The American pronunciation is /nɪlˈpoʊtənt/. In British English it is /nɪlˈpəʊtənt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in nilpotent?
Nilpotent has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (POH). Broken into parts: nil · POH · tunt.
Is nilpotent pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /nɪlˈpəʊtənt/ (nil-POH-tunt).