Trascurabile

Trascurabile is an Italian adjective meaning negligible or of little importance, used to indicate that something can be ignored in analysis or calculation because its effect is too small to matter within a given precision or context. The word derives from the verb trascurare, to neglect or disregard.

In scientific and mathematical contexts, trascurabile refers to terms or effects that are small enough to be omitted in an approximation. In perturbation theory or asymptotic analyses, higher-order terms in a small parameter are described as trascurabili, allowing a simplified model to capture the dominant behavior. The expression ordine trascurabile or termine trascurabile is common when specifying the level of approximation.

In statistics, physics, and engineering, objects or errors can be labeled trascurabili when their contribution falls below a predefined threshold, so they do not influence conclusions or design choices significantly. For example, an experimental error might be considered trascurabile relative to the signal being measured, or a cost component deemed trascurabile in a cost-benefit analysis.

In everyday language, trascurabile is frequently used to describe costs, effects, or risks that are small enough to be ignored in practice. The term is often paired with phrases such as “un effetto trascurabile” or “costi trascurabili” to justify simplifications or to emphasize that a factor does not materially alter outcomes.

Translation and equivalents in English include “negligible” or “insignificant.” The term is common across Italian scientific and technical writing, providing a concise way to express when a factor can be neglected in an analysis.