Unquantized

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Not subject to measurement in discrete units or values
2. Describing a state or phenomenon that cannot be divided into quantifiable parts
3. Characterizing something that exists in a continuous manner without fractional separation

Etymology: "Unquantized" is simply the English prefix "un-", meaning "not", attached to "quantized," the past participle of "quantize." The base word itself is built from "quantum," the Latin noun for "how much" or "amount," which English borrowed in the sense of a discrete unit or portion of something. "Quantize" was formed from that root to mean dividing a quantity into fixed, discrete steps rather than allowing it to vary continuously. The prefix "un-" is one of English's most productive tools, Old English in origin, and it can be attached to many participles to mean "not having undergone" the action. So "unquantized" describes something that has not been put into discrete amounts or units, such as a physical quantity that varies smoothly, or a signal or value that has not been rounded to set levels.

Synonyms: continuous, analog

Antonyms: quantized, discrete