Moore’s Law
Computational Infrastructure; Computer Science Fundamentals
noun phrase
Definition: An empirical observation, originally formulated by Gordon Moore, that the number of components on an integrated circuit—and later commonly interpreted as the number of transistors on a chip—tends to increase exponentially over time, historically driving gains in computing performance and reductions in cost per function. The classic statement comes from Moore’s 1965 article, while modern technical literature often discusses the slowing or physical limits of this trend rather than treating it as a strict law [Nguyen et al. 2024].
Example in context: “The miniaturization predicted by Moore’s law has driven the evolution of electronic devices, leading to the explosive growth of our digital society as today.” [Nguyen et al. 2024]
Synonym: Moore law (nonstandard variant)
Related terms: scaling law; semiconductor roadmap; compute growth; transistor scaling