"of or pertaining to an exponent or exponents, involving variable exponents," 1704, from exponent + -ial. As a noun in mathematics from 1784. Related: Exponentially.
Entries linking to exponential
exponent n.
1706, from Latin exponentem (nominative exponens), present participle of exponere "put forth" (see expound). Earliest use is the mathematical one (said to have been introduced in algebra by Descartes) for the symbol placed above and to the right of another to indicate by what power the base number is to be raised. The sense of "one who expounds" is by 1812. As an adjective, "exemplifying, explicating," from 1580s.
-ial
adjectival word-forming element, variant of -al (1) with connective -i-. From Latin -ialis, in which the -i- originally was from the stem of the word being attached but later came to be felt as connective.