nonlinear
(Scientific computation) A property of a system whose output
is not proportional to its input. For example, a {transistor}
has a region of input voltages for which its output voltage is
found by multiplying the input voltage by the gain of the
transistor. Outside this region though, the transistor
behaves non-linearly, meaning that it does not obey this
simple equation. The behaviour of a system containing
non-linear components is thus harder to model and to predict.
[{Jargon File}]