veelterm

Veelterm is a Dutch-language compound noun formed from veel (many) and term (term). There is no formal, universally accepted definition of the term in standard mathematical references, and its use is typically informal or limited to Dutch-language education. When encountered, veelterm generally refers to an algebraic expression that consists of multiple terms, i.e., a polynomial with more than one monomial. This usage stands in contrast to a monomial, which is a single term such as 3x^2 or -5y.

In practice, veelterm is often used to describe expressions that are formed by adding or subtracting several monomial terms, such as x^2y + 3xy^2 − 4. The term highlights the multiplicity of components within the expression, rather than a specific standardized category in mathematical nomenclature. Because it is not an established technical term, its interpretation can vary between textbooks or instructors, though the core idea remains the same: a multi-term algebraic expression.

Related concepts include polynomials in general, and, more specifically, binomials, trinomials, and multinomials, which classify polynomials by the number of terms. The term vaigues about everyday language use rather than a formal mathematical category. As such, readers are more likely to encounter precise terminology like polynomial or multinomial in authoritative sources, with veelterm appearing primarily in informal Dutch contexts.