An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
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In → vector calculus, a vector → partial derivative represented by the symbol → nabla and defined in three dimensions to be:
∇ = (∂/∂x)i + (∂/∂y)j + (∂/∂z)k.
It appears in the operations → gradient: ∇f, → divergence: ∇ . E, → curl: ∇ x E, and → Laplacian: ∇ . ∇f = ∇²f.

From Gk. alphabet letter delta.