cross product

Coined by American scientist Josiah Willard Gibbs in 1881.

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cross product (plural cross products)

1. (linear algebra) A vector product.

   The cross product can be derived like so: given a pair of vectors ${\displaystyle \xi }$ and ${\displaystyle \eta }$, solve for a vector ${\displaystyle \zeta }$ which is perpendicular to both ${\displaystyle \xi }$ and ${\displaystyle \eta }$, i.e., whose dot product with both ${\displaystyle \xi }$ and ${\displaystyle \eta }$ is zero.