DadgogoAI Dictionary

Dictionary entry

gradient descent

noun \ˈgrā-dē-ənt di-ˈsent\
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Definition of gradient descent

  1. : an optimization method that improves a model step by step by moving its parameters a little in whichever direction reduces the error the most

    • Picture gradient descent as walking downhill in fog, one careful step at a time.
    • The learning rate controls how big each step of gradient descent is.

Origin & history

first known use1847

Described by the French mathematician Augustin-Louis Cauchy in 1847, long before computers.

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Cite this entry

"Gradient descent." AI Dictionary, Dadgogo, https://dadgogo.com/dictionary/gradient-descent/. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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