S

A programming language developed by the statistics group at Bell Labs for interactive data analysis. The S language pioneered interactive statistical analysis and visualization. A commercial version, S-PLUS, is sold by Mathsoft.

The S language is extremely useful in exploratory data analysis due its data manipulation capabilities and huge library of statistical and graphical routines. Unlike statistical packages such as SPSS, S is an object-oriented programming language. Unlike SAS, S is interactive and doesn't work with with large data sets, so it's naturally more appropriate for exploratory analyses. S is most similar to systems such as Matlab and Mathematica.

In chemistry, the letter s is both the fourth quantum number, and the first orbital. Although they are closely related, they have very different contexts.

s, as the fourth quantum number, represents the spin an electron has. It can have one of two values: +1/2 or -1/2. Two electrons in the same orbital must have opposite values for s.

s, as the first orbital, is spherical in shape. Electrons enter the s orbital in groups 1 and 2, as well as with He. s orbitals can form sigma bonds.

S (es),

the nineteenth letter of the English alphabet, is a consonanat, and is often called a sibilant, in allusion to its hissing sound. It has two principal sounds; one a more hissing, as in sack, this; the other a vocal hissing (the same as that of z), as in is, wise. Besides these it sometimes has the sounds of sh and zh, as in sure, measure. It generally has its hissing sound at the beginning of words, but in the middle and at the end of words its sound is determined by usage. In a few words it is silent, as in isle, d'ebris. With the letter h it forms the digraph sh. See Guide to pronunciation, §§ 255-261.

Both the form and the name of the letter S are derived from the Latin, which got the letter through the Greek from the Phaenician. the ultimate origin is Egyptian. S is etymologically most nearly related to c, z, t, and r; as, in ice, OE. is; E. hence, OE. hennes; E. rase, raze; erase, razor; that, G. das; E. reason, F. raison, L. ratio; E. was, were; chair, chaise (see C, Z, T, and R.).

© Webster 1913.