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Definition 2024


quicksort

quicksort

English

The quicksort algorithm sorting the array {6, 5, 3, 1, 8, 7, 4}.

Noun

quicksort (plural quicksorts)

  1. (computing) A sorting algorithm that operates by recursively partitioning the items to be sorted into two sets.
    • 1987, Åke Wikström, Functional Programming Using Standard ML
      Somewhat surprisingly, the average behaviour of quicksort is the same as the best behaviour.

Verb

quicksort (third-person singular simple present quicksorts, present participle quicksorting, simple past and past participle quicksorted)

  1. (transitive, computing) To sort with such an algorithm.
    • 1991, Maguire et al, Geographical Information Systems: Principles and Applications
      The first and last subsets are then recursively quicksorted.