epsilon squared

from Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003)

epsilon squared
 n.

   A quantity even smaller than {epsilon}, as small in comparison to
   epsilon as epsilon is to something normal; completely negligible. If
   you buy a supercomputer for a million dollars, the cost of the
   thousand-dollar terminal to go with it is {epsilon}, and the cost of
   the ten-dollar cable to connect them is epsilon squared. Compare {lost
   in the underflow}, {lost in the noise}.

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

epsilon squared

   <jargon> A quantity even smaller than {epsilon}, as small in
   comparison to epsilon as epsilon is to something normal;
   completely negligible.  If you buy a supercomputer for a
   million dollars, the cost of the thousand-dollar terminal to
   go with it is {epsilon}, and the cost of the ten-dollar cable
   to connect them is epsilon squared.

   Compare {lost in the underflow}, {lost in the noise}.

   (1997-09-05)

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