self-similarity
Patterns within patterns
Self-similarity is the property of an object or pattern where parts resemble the whole at different scales.
A fern frond displays self-similarity: each smaller branch mirrors the shape of the larger frond.
The concept is fundamental to fractals in mathematics, where zooming in reveals structures that echo the overall form.
Coastlines and snowflakes exhibit approximate self-similarity in nature.
Process invoking itself
- iterationRepeated procedural pass
- infiniteHaving no bounds
- dimensionMeasurable extent or scope
- attractorConvergence point for systems
chaos · dynamical · nonlinear · feedback · loop · cantor · bifurcation · coastline
Climbing or resizing
- invarianceQuality of staying unchanged
- affineRelative by marriage
- transformationThorough change in form
- dilationWidening of an opening
isometry · symmetry · tessellation · tiling · projection · mapping · congruence · proportion
Defined in terms of itself
- spiralCurve winding around center
- tessellationGapless plane coverage
- mosaicInlaid pictorial arrangement
- motifRecurring thematic element
mandala · kaleidoscope · lattice · network · grid · weave · arabesque · paisley
Land-water boundary
- mountainTall natural landmass
- cloudAtmospheric water vapor mass
- treeWoody perennial plant
- fernSpore-spreading vascular plant
lightning · river · delta · bronchi · vasculature · cauliflower · romanesco · broccoli
Allocation across recipients
- long-rangeAcross great distances
- correlationStatistical relationship measure
- autocorrelationSignal's similarity to itself delayed
- varianceSpread around the mean
stochastic · time-series · exponent · fluctuation · noise · clustering · invariance
recursion
Process invoking itself
attractor · chaos · dynamical · nonlinear · feedback · loop · cantor · bifurcation · coastline · fern
scaling
Climbing or resizing
- invarianceQuality of staying unchanged
- affineRelative by marriage
- transformationThorough change in form
dilation · isometry · symmetry · tessellation · tiling · projection · mapping · congruence · proportion · ratio
recursive
Defined in terms of itself
- spiralCurve winding around center
- tessellationGapless plane coverage
- mosaicInlaid pictorial arrangement
motif · mandala · kaleidoscope · lattice · network · grid · weave · arabesque · paisley · meander
coastline
Land-water boundary
fern · lightning · river · delta · bronchi · vasculature · cauliflower · romanesco · broccoli · snowflake
distribution
Allocation across recipients
- long-rangeAcross great distances
- correlationStatistical relationship measure
- autocorrelationSignal's similarity to itself delayed
variance · stochastic · time-series · exponent · fluctuation · noise · clustering · invariance
- geometric arttessellations, fractals, symmetry, spirals, geometric patterns
- Self-referencerecursion, recursive, meta, infinite regress, circular reasoning
- scalingscalability, power laws, horizontal scaling, proportionality, economies of scale
- recursionrecursion, base case, infinite recursion, recurrence relation, Fibonacci
- dimensionsdimension, spatial dimension, third dimension, fourth dimension, fifth dimension
- fibonacciFibonacci sequence, Fibonacci numbers, golden ratio, phi, golden spiral
self-similarityrandomness
Lack of predictable pattern
irregularity · chaos · disorder · heterogeneity · formlessness
self, similar, similarity, assimilate, simulate, dissimilar, self-replicating, simile, simulacrum