infinitesimallike

Infinitesimallike refers to a concept or quantity that is extremely small, approaching zero but not quite reaching it. This notion is often used informally in discussions about limits or as a descriptor for something that is negligible or insignificant in a practical sense. It captures the intuitive idea of a "tiny bit" without needing the rigorous definition of an infinitesimal as used in non-standard analysis. For example, in some engineering contexts, a measurement error might be considered infinitesimallike if it has no discernible impact on the overall result. The term is not a formal mathematical term but serves as a useful linguistic tool to convey a sense of extreme minuteness. It can be contrasted with the mathematical concept of an infinitesimal, which is a precisely defined quantity smaller than any positive real number but larger than zero. While an infinitesimal has a specific mathematical meaning, infinitesimallike is a more general and qualitative description. The idea is that something is so small it can be treated as if it were zero for all practical purposes, but its existence, however minuscule, is acknowledged.