rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryfractalSelf-similar pattern
noun / adjective

fractal

FRAK-tuhl/ˈfræktl/

A pattern with similar structure at different scales.

The fern's fractal pattern repeats its branching structure in each smaller leaflet.

A fern frond with a magnified inset of a leaflet repeating the branching shape of the whole fern, natural self-similar pattern, no letters.
Etymology
fractLatinto break
+alFrenchrelating to

The 'break' root supplied the image of something broken or irregular. Mandelbrot used that image for mathematical patterns with self-similarity: smaller parts resemble the whole.

In context

Buddha at the Gas Pump®57:12
no matter how close you look, it s another representation of itself. And it just goes inward, infinitely? Fractals? Fractals. They re fractal like.
Angelo DiLullo: What Really Happens After Awakening - Buddha at the Gas Pump Interview

More examples

  • Zooming in on this fractal reveals similar shapes again and again.
  • The artist uses fractals to create intricate designs.
  • The coastline has a fractal structure, with smaller curves resembling larger ones.

Forms

fractal · fractals

Similar words

self-similar
Describes resemblance across scales rather than naming the pattern itself.
pattern
A broader term that does not imply similarity across scales.