An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

A function that represents a probability distribution in terms of integrals. Also called probability density function or density function.

→ probability; → function.

A branch of → mathematics with its own axioms and methods, which is based on the concept of → randomness and is concerned with the possible outcome of given → events and their relative → likelihoods and → distributions.

→ probability; → theory.

Likely to happen or to be true; likely but uncertain.

From O.Fr. probable, from L. probabilis "provable," from probare "to try, to test, to prove worthy," from probus "worthy, good, upright, virtuous," from PIE *pro-bhwo- "being in front," from *pro-, extended form of base *per- (cf. Pers. farâ "forward, front"), + base *bhu- "to be" (cf. Pers. budan "to be").

Šavânâ (on the model of tavânâ "able, strong", from tav- "to be able"), from šow- present stem of šodan "to become, to be, to be doing, to go, to pass," from Mid.Pers. šudan, šaw- "to go;" Av. š(ii)auu-, šiyav- "to move, go," šiyavati "goes," šyaoθna- "activity; action; doing, working;" O.Pers. šiyav- "to go forth, set," ašiyavam "I set forth;" cf. Skt. cyu- "to move to and fro, shake about; to stir," cyávate "stirs himself, goes;" Gk. kinein "to move;" Goth. haitan "call, be called;" O.E. hatan "command, call;" PIE base *kei- "to move to and fro."

A deviation from the population mean μ such that 50% of the observations may be expected to lie between μ - PE and μ + PE. For the normal distribution, the probable error is 0.6745 times the standard deviation.

→ probable; → error.

1) (n.) An exploratory action or device for investigating and obtaining information on a remote region.
Same as → space probe. → lunar probe.
2) (v.) To conduct a thorough investigation of something.
To examine or explore with a probe.

M.L. proba "examination, test," L. probare "to test, prove worthy," from probus "worthy, good, upright."

1) Gomâné "a shaft sunk in order to ascertain the depth of the water when making a subterraneous canal," from Proto-Iranian *vi-mā-, from vi- "apart, away from, out" (cf. Av. vi-; O.Pers. viy- "apart, away;" Skt. vi- "apart, asunder, away, out;" L. vitare "to avoid, turn aside") + mā- "to measure" (cf. O.Pers./Av. mā(y)- "to measure;" Mod.Pers. mâ/mun/mân "measure," as in Pers. terms âzmâ- "to test;" pirâmun "perimeter," âzmun "test, trial," peymân "measuring, agreement," peymâné "a measure; a cup, bowl;" PIE base *me- "to measure;" cf. Skt. mati "measures," matra- "measure;" Gk. metron "measure;" L. metrum).
2) Gomâné zadan composite infinitive of gomân with zadan "to strike, beat; to play an instrument; to do" (Mid.Pers. zatan, žatan; O.Pers./Av. jan-, gan- "to strike, hit, smite, kill" (jantar- "smiter"); cf. Skt. han- "to strike, beat" (hantar- "smiter, killer"); Gk. theinein "to strike;" L. fendere "to strike, push;" Gmc. *gundjo "war, battle;" PIE *g^when- "to strike, kill").

1) Any question or matter involving doubt, uncertainty, or difficulty.
2) Math.: A statement requiring a solution, usually by means of a mathematical operation or geometric construction.

M.E., from O.Fr. problème, from L. problema, from Gk. problema "a problem, a question," literally "thing put forward," from proballein "to propose," from → pro- "forward" + ballein "to throw," → ballistics.

Parâsé, from pərəs- present tense stem of Av. fras- "to ask, question, inquire," pərəsaiti "asks," to which is related Mod.Pers. pors-, porsidan "to ask;" Mid.Pers. pursidan; O.Pers. prs-, fraθ- "to ask, examine, investigate, punish;" Sogd. anfrāsē "question, enquiry;" cf. Skt. praś- "to ask, long for;" Tokharian prak-/prek- "to ask;" L. prex "request," precor "to ask, to pray;" Lith. prašyti "to ask, to demand;" Ger. fragen "to ask;" PIE base *prek- "to ask."

1) Posing a problem; difficult to solve.
2) Open to doubt; debatable.
3) Not settled; unresolved or dubious (TheFreeDictionary.com).

From M.Fr. problematique, from L. problematicus, from Gk. problematikos "pertaining to a problem," from → problem.

An act or a manner of proceeding in any action or process; a particular course or mode of action.

From Fr. procédure "manner of proceeding," from O.Fr. procédér from L. procedere "to go forward, advance," from → pro- "forward" + cedere "to go."

Ravand "going," from raftan "to go, walk;" Mid.Pers. raftan, raw-, Proto-Iranian *rab/f- "to go; to attack."

1) (n.) A series of actions directed toward a specific aim.
A series of natural occurrences that produce change or development.
2) (v.) To treat or prepare something in a series of steps or actions.

M.E., from O.Fr. proces, from L. processus "advance, progress," from p.p. stem of procedere "go forward," from → pro- "forward" + cedere "to go."

1) Farâravand, from farâ- "forward" → pro- + ravand, contraction of ravandé "goer, going," from raftan "to go, walk;" Mid.Pers. raftan, raw-, Proto-Iranian *rab/f- "to go; to attack."

Note: Another Pers. equivalent for process (n.), coined by the Mosâhab group on the model of the L. concept, is farâyand (فر‌آیند). This dictionary has not retained farâyand, because it is problematic and even contradictory, as first remarked by M.Sch. Adib-Soltani. The process notion denotes a forward motion, composed of two components indicating the same direction "moving forward." In contrast, farâyand implies two opposite, contrary vectors, farâ- "forward" and âyand "coming, comer," from âmadan "to come." In brief, farâyand would mean "coming in front of, before, into the presence, in advance of," while in contrast farâravand means "to go on, to proceed."

2) Âmudan, âmâyidan "to prepare, to fashion; to cause to be made;" from Proto-Iranian *ā-mā-; cf. O.Pers./Av. mā(y)- "to measure;" Mod.Pers. mâ/mun/mân "measure," as in Pers. terms âzmâ- "to test;" pirâmun "perimeter," âzmun "test, trial," peymân "measuring, agreement," peymâné "a measure; a cup, bowl;" PIE base *me- "to measure;" cf. Skt. mati "measures," matra- "measure;" Gk. metron "measure;" L. metrum.

Performing some predefined sequence of operations on an input to produce an output. → data processing; → image processing .

Noun of the verb → process.

The act of moving along or proceeding in orderly succession or in a formal and ceremonious manner, as a line of people, animals, vehicles, etc (Dictionary.com).

Verbal noun from → process.

Computers: A central processing unit.
A program that translates another program into a form acceptable by the computer being used. → data processor; → microprocessor

Agent noun of the verb → process.

1) To announce or declare in an official or formal manner.
2) To announce or declare in an open or ostentatious way (Dictionary.com).

→ pro-; → claim.

The brightest star in the constellation → Canis Minor. With an → apparent visual magnitude of 0.34, Procyon is the eighth brightest star in the night sky. It is actually a → binary star system, consisting of a white → main sequence star of → spectral type F5 IV-V, named Procyon A, and a faint → DA white dwarf companion, named Procyon B. The distance of the system is 11.46 → light-years and the revolution period about 40 years. Procyon A is of → solar metallicity. It has an → effective temperature of about 6600 K and a mass of 1.43 M_sun. The age of the white dwarf is estimated to be 1.7 Giga years. Also called Procyon A, HR 2943, HD 61421 (see Chiavassa et al. 2012, arXiv:1201.3264 and references therein).

Procyon, literally "before the dog," referring to the mythical dog, → Canis Minor, from L. from Gk. prokyon, from → pro- "before" + kyon, kuon "dog;" cognate with Pers. sag, as below.

Farâsag, from farâ- "before," → pro-, + sag "dog;" Mid.Pers. sak/sag Av. spā-; cf. Skt. svā-; Gk. kuon; L. canis (Fr. chien); Arm. šun; O.E. hund; O.H.G. hunt; O.Ir. cu; Welsh ci; Rus. sobaka; PIE *kwon-. In several Pers. dialects this term has conserved its older Av. form with respect to its Modern "official" counterpart: Tâleši, Tâti: espa; štiyâni: esb; Kâšâni, Sorxeyi: esbâ; Lâsgardi: aesbae.

1) A thing that is made or created (by a person, machine, or natural process).
2) Chemistry: A substance resulting from a chemical reaction.
3) Math.: The result of the → multiplication of two or more quantities.

From M.E., from L. productum "something produced," noun use of neuter p.p. of producere "bring forth," → production.

Farâvardé, farâvard, p.p. of farâvardan "to produce;" → production.

The act of producing; creation; something that is produced; a product. → pair production

M.E., from O.Fr. production, from M.L. productionem, from L. productus, p.p. of producere "bring forth," from → pro- "forth" + ducere "to bring, lead."

Farâvareš "bringing forth," from far- "forth," → pro-, + âvareš, "bringing," verbal noun âvardan "to bring; to cause, produce" (Mid.Pers. âwurtan, âvaritan; Av. ābar- "to bring; to possess," from prefix ā- + Av./O.Pers. bar- "to bear, carry," bareθre "to bear (infinitive)," bareθri "a female that bears (children), a mother;" Mod.Pers. bordan "to carry;" Skt. bharati "he carries;" Gk. pherein; L. fero "to carry").

An occupation, especially one that requires prolonged training and a formal qualification.

From M.E., from O.Fr. profession, from L. professionem "public declaration," from professus "having declared publicly," ultimately from → pro- "forth" + fateri "to acknowledge, confess."

Pišé "profession, job," from Mid.Pers. pêšak "profession, job, work; class, group;" Av. pištra- "occupation; class, group," from paēs- "to paint; to adorn," paēsa- "adornment;" Mid.Pers. pēsīdan "to adorn;" O.Pers. pais- "to adorn, cut, engrave;" Mid.Pers. bišt-, bis- (nibištan, nibes- "to write"), Mod.Pers -vis, -veš (in nevis-, neveštan "to write"), pisé "variegated;" cf. Skt. piśáti "adorns; cuts;" Gk. poikilos "multicolored;" L. pingit "embroiders, paints;" O.C.S. pisati "to write;" O.H.G. fēh "multicolored;" Lith. piēšti "to draw, adorn;" PIE base *peik- "colored, speckled."

Relating to or belonging to a profession.

Pišekâr literally "doing as profession," from pišé, → profession, + kâr "work," from kar-, kardan "to do, to make," → -or.

→ profession; → -al.

A person who practices astronomy as a profession rather than as a hobby, in contrast to an → amateur astronomer.

→ professional; → astronomer.

1) A teacher of the highest academic rank in a college or university.
2) An instructor in some art or skilled sport, such as a professor of singing.

M.E. from L. professor "one who has taken the vows of a religious order," agent noun from profitieri "declare openly," from → pro- "forth" + fateri "to acknowledge, confess."

Ostâd "professor; master; artisan," from Mid.Pers. ôstât, from Av. *aibi-stāta-, *auui-stāta- literally "standing on," i.e. "appointed; agent; head," from aibi-/auui- "upon, toward, against" (O.Pers. abiy-; cf. Skt. abhi-; Gk. amphi-) + stā- "to stand" (→ opposition).