sparse

5 definitions found

sparse - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Sparse \Sparse\, a. [Compar. Sparser; superl. Sparsest.] [L.
     sparsus, p. p. of spargere to strew, scatter. Cf. Asperse,
     Disperse.]
     1. Thinly scattered; set or planted here and there; not being
        dense or close together; as, a sparse population.
        --Carlyle.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Bot.) Placed irregularly and distantly; scattered; --
        applied to branches, leaves, peduncles, and the like.
        [1913 Webster]

  Sparse \Sparse\, v. t. [L. sparsus, p. p. of spargere to
     scatter.]
     To scatter; to disperse. [Obs.] --Spenser.
     [1913 Webster]

sparse - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  sparse
      adj 1: not dense; "a thin beard"; "trees were sparse" [syn:
             sparse, thin]

sparse - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  sparse
  
     A sparse matrix (or vector, or array) is one in which
     most of the elements are zero.  If storage space is more
     important than access speed, it may be preferable to store a
     sparse matrix as a list of (index, value) pairs or use some
     kind of hash scheme or associative memory.
  
     (1995-01-16)
  

sparse - Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 :

  64 Moby Thesaurus words for "sparse":
     almost unheard-of, at a premium, broadcast, cheeseparing, chinchy,
     chintzy, diffuse, discrete, dispersed, dispread, disseminated,
     dissipated, distributed, exiguous, in short supply, inappreciable,
     infrequent, insignificant, limited, little, meager, miserly,
     niggardly, not much, occasional, out of print, out of season,
     out of stock, piddling, poor, rare, scant, scanty, scarce,
     scattered, scrimp, scrimping, scrimpy, seldom met with,
     seldom seen, skimp, skimping, skimpy, slim, slow, spare, sparing,
     sporadic, spotty, spread, spread out, sprinkled, stingy,
     straggling, straggly, strewn, strown, thin, tight, uncommon,
     unfrequent, unique, unusual, widespread