quantize
UK[ˈkwɒntaɪz]US[ˈkwɑːntaɪz]
v
to restrict (a variable quantity) to discrete values rather than to a continuous set of values.
v
to express or measure in terms of quanta, especially in physics.
Morpheme Breakdown
quant
ize
quant
quantity
ize
verb suffix
Etymology
the word quantize is a modern scientific formation, built upon the latin root 'quantus', meaning 'how much'. this root is the source of the english word 'quantity'. the suffix '-ize', used to form verbs meaning 'to make or become', is of ancient greek origin. the term emerged in early 20th-century physics to describe the process of constraining a physical property, such as energy, to specific discrete units or 'quanta', as proposed by quantum theory. thus, the literal construction 'to make into quantities' elegantly captures the action of forcing a continuous system into a set of distinct, countable steps.
Analysis
Structure: quant (quantity) + ize (verb suffix)
quant is from latin 'quantus', meaning 'how much, how great'. ize is a verb-forming suffix from greek '-izein', via latin '-izare'.
Examples
physicists had to quantize the energy levels of the electron to explain the observed spectral lines.
the digital audio process will quantize the sound wave, converting it into a series of numerical values.
a key step in digital signal processing is to sample and then quantize the analog signal.