pairwise

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "pairwise" is correct and usable in written English.
It is an adverb that means in pairs, or in groups of two. For example, "The students were tested pairwise on their knowledge of the material."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Formal & Business

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Start with a local, pairwise form.

SEP

Mereologically, an atom (or "simple") is an entity with no proper parts, regardless of whether it is point-like or has spatial (and/or temporal) extension: By definition of 'PP', all atoms are pairwise disjoint and can only overlap things of which they are part.

SEP

Pairwise majority voting then satisfies the rest of Arrow's conditions.

SEP

A foundational result about desire strength is that, if a minimally rational person has set of pairwise preferences (for A over B, for C over D, and so on), these pairwise preferences can be used to determine the strengths of preferences.

SEP

Even pairwise majority voting, that paradigm of a democratic procedure, is in Arrow's sense sometimes a dictatorship.

SEP

Pairwise majority decision satisfies D if each of the voters disagrees in this way with both of the others, in some or other profile.[9] It always satisfies WP and I. On such a domain, we have now seen, this aggregation procedure satisfies all of Arrow's non-domain conditions.

SEP

Black's result tells us that pairwise majority decision on this domain satisfies SO.

SEP

Philosophers and others can systematically appraise theories of motivation in such terms, including through pairwise comparative assessments of rival theories in terms of those desirable features.

SEP

In this vein, Harrison and McDaniel (2008) provide experimental evidence suggesting that the 'Kemeny rule', an extension of pairwise majority voting designed to avoid Condorcet cycles, is 'behaviourally incentive-compatible': i.e., strategic manipulation is computationally hard.

SEP

And suppose now we find a proposition \(r\), that is pairwise incompatible with both \(p\) and \ q\), and which you find more desirable than both \(p\) and \ q\).

SEP

In a series of pairwise comparisons, they consider all the conceptions of justice made available to them and ultimately agree unanimously to accept the conception that survives this winnowing process.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "pairwise" to clearly indicate that comparisons or operations are being performed on two items at a time. This avoids ambiguity, especially in technical or mathematical contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "pairwise" when you mean 'piecemeal' or 'gradual'. "Pairwise" specifically refers to actions or comparisons done in pairs, while 'piecemeal' refers to something done in stages or portions.

Linguistic Context

The adverb "pairwise" functions primarily to specify the manner in which an action is performed, indicating that it occurs between two elements or entities at a time. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's widely accepted and grammatically sound. Examples show it modifying verbs to describe comparison, interaction, or relationship between pairs.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

65%

Formal & Business

20%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

News & Media

4%

Reference

1%

Wiki

0.5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The adverb "pairwise" signifies actions or comparisons performed between two elements. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It's a very common term, primarily used in formal and scientific contexts to ensure precision. When using "pairwise", ensure it accurately reflects your intent to describe operations conducted in pairs, avoiding confusion with similar terms like 'piecemeal'. Alternatives like "in pairs" or "two at a time" can be suitable depending on the context. As Ludwig examples show, "pairwise" enhances clarity in technical discussions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in pairs

Directly substitutes "pairwise" with its literal meaning.

two at a time

Emphasizes the sequential processing of pairs.

in dyads

Uses a more formal term for pairs, suitable for academic contexts.

paired

A simple adjective describing things existing as a pair

by couples

Highlights the grouping of items into sets of two.

mutually

Focuses on the reciprocal relationship between two entities.

in relation to each other

Stresses the comparative aspect between two items.

compared bilaterally

Highlights the act of comparing two things directly.

dyadic

Adjective that indicates a relationship involving two elements.

binary

Indicates a system or relationship based on two parts.

FAQs

How to use "pairwise" in a sentence?

You can use "pairwise" to describe comparisons or operations done between two items at a time. For example, "The algorithm performs a "pairwise comparison" of all data points."

What does "pairwise" mean?

"Pairwise" means considering or involving two things at a time. It's often used in mathematics, computer science, and other technical fields to describe relationships or operations between pairs of elements.

What can I say instead of "pairwise"?

Alternatives include "in pairs", "two at a time", or "in dyads", depending on the context. These alternatives convey the same idea of dealing with items two by two.

In what context is it appropriate to use the term "pairwise"?

The term "pairwise" is appropriate in technical contexts such as mathematics, computer science or statistics, where it's essential to specify that operations or comparisons are being made between pairs of elements.