EPSILON

<language> A macro language with high level features including strings and lists, developed by A.P. Ershov at Novosibirsk in 1967. EPSILON was used to implement ALGOL 68 on the M-220.

["Application of the Machine-Oriented Language Epsilon to Software Development", I.V. Pottosin et al, in Machine Oriented Higher Level Languages, W. van der Poel, N-H 1974, pp. 417-434].

(10 May 1995)

epsilon

1. A small quantity of anything. "The cost is epsilon."

2. Very small, negligible; less than marginal. "We can get this feature for epsilon cost."

3. "within epsilon of": close enough to be indistinguishable for all practical purposes, even closer than being "within delta of". "That's not what I asked for, but it's within epsilon of what I wanted." Alternatively, it may mean not close enough, but very little is required to get it there: "My program is within epsilon of working."