Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🪜 Step by step 📍 At each point
pointwise

pointwise

1 8.6
In a way that treats each item separately rather than all together
  • adverb
  • /ˈpɔɪntˌwaɪz/
  • Specialized
: punto por punto
  • The professor explained the solution pointwise, making sure each step was clear to the students.

Examples

  • In her review, she addressed the feedback pointwise to ensure nothing was missed.

  • The function is defined pointwise for each element.

  • The report analyzed the data pointwise, discussing each result in detail.

  • You should evaluate the limits pointwise.

  • The professor explained the solution pointwise, making sure each step was clear to the students.

  • In her review, she addressed the feedback pointwise to ensure nothing was missed.

  • The report analyzed the data pointwise, discussing each result in detail.

Synonyms

discretely
vspointwise
5 4.8

In separate parts rather than all at once

emphasizes analyzing items one by one in mathematical or step sequences
distributively
vspointwise
1 7.5

To apply to each person or thing separately

treats each point individually especially in mathematical or step by step analysis

How Sequential

consecutively
10 4.1
sequentially
9 4.5
seriatim
  • Formal
1 9.9
one by one
186 1.4
pointwise
  • Specialized
1 8.6

Surface Forms

pointwise positive

Morphology

pointwise = point (transparent) = point + wise

The adverbial meaning 'with respect to each point/element' follows directly from 'point' + '-wise', a common English derivational pattern.

Etymology

Pointwise comes from point 'each place or item' and -wise 'in the manner of', like stepwise. So to do something pointwise means to handle or explain things 'one point at a time' or 'separately for each point'.