Fractals
/ˈfræk.təlz/noun
Plural of fractal, a geometric shape or pattern that repeats similar detail at different scales.
Did you know?The term fractal was coined by mathematician Benoît Mandelbrot in 1975 from Latin frāctus, meaning “broken” or “fractured,” because these shapes are built from irregular fragments that still create a deeper pattern.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bhrag-
“to break, to shatter”
Latin
Latin
frangere
“to break”
Latin
Latin
frāctus
“broken, shattered”
1975
English
fractal
“a term coined for a geometric form with repeating self-similar structure”
Modern English
English
fractals
“plural of fractal, self-similar mathematical patterns”