decimalforstørrelsesord

decimalforstørrelsesord is a Danish neologism used in linguistic and technical discussions to denote expressions that express magnification or scale using decimal numbers. The term combines decimal, referring to base-10 notation, with forstørrelsesord, a compound meaning "magnification word" or "term of magnification." In practice, decimalforstørrelsesord describes constructions such as "0,5x", "1,25x" or "3,75x" where a decimal number is followed by the multiplicative suffix "x" to indicate a magnification factor.

Unlike traditional terms like forstørrelsesfaktor or forstørrelsesorden, which refer to whole-number steps or generic orders, decimalforstørrelsesord emphasizes decimal-valued scale factors and their pronunciation in context. In Danish, decimal numbers use a comma as the decimal separator, so the written forms are "0,5x", "1,25x" and so on.

Applications appear in imaging, optics, metrology, and user interface design, where precise scale description matters. In microscopy, camera previews, or display zoom controls, decimal magnification terms provide a flexible way to describe intermediate zoom levels rather than fixed steps.

Critics note that the term is not widely standardized and that decimal notation varies by locale, which can hinder cross-language clarity. Proponents argue that it supports clearer mathematical specification of magnification levels in technical communication.

See also: magnification, scale, decimal notation, SI prefixes.