Phrase guide

premature optimization

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of wasting resources on optimising source code that does not represent a significant bottleneck.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, programming, sciences

Examples

  • 2016, Amitt Mahajan, Why you’re mispricing your VR seed round, VentureBeat Similar to engineering, premature optimization can cause you to focus on items that don’t materially affect your outcome and can divert your attention away from those that do.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

It was first coined by Donald Knuth in his 1974 monograph The Art of Computer Programming which won a Turing Award.