Definition of quantize in English:


(also quantise)


  • 1Physics
    Form into quanta, in particular restrict the number of possible values of (a quantity) or states of (a system) so that certain variables can assume only certain discrete magnitudes:

    ‘light is quantized into packets of energy’
    • ‘The various modes of motion are quantized, meaning that only certain discrete energy states are possible.’
    • ‘Loop quantum gravity is a way to quantise space time while keeping what General Relativity taught us.’
    • ‘Only now are we trying to quantize the theory to make it compatible with the other forces.’
    • ‘In quantum mechanics, angular momentum is quantized.’
  • 2Electronics
    Approximate (a continuously varying signal) by one whose amplitude is restricted to a prescribed set of values:

    ‘distortion is caused when very low-level audio signals are quantized’
    • ‘They know quadraphonic, quantizing on the dimensional level of making the atmosphere and the soundwaves and frequencies coincide and exist along with the frequencies in the music.’
    • ‘Truncating the embedded bitstream associated with any given code-block has the effect of quantizing the samples in that block more coarsely.’
    • ‘Fuzzy drum samples come clearly banged out on a sampler in lo-fi analog glee - no digital quantizing is stifling these joints.’
    • ‘The coefficients of these block approximations are then quantized and stored in the output file.’