heuristics

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
heuristic /ˌhjʊ(ə)ˈrɪstɪk/

▶adjective

• 1 enabling a person to discover or learn something for themselves.

• 2 Computing proceeding to a solution by trial and error or by rules that are only loosely defined.

▶noun a heuristic process or method.

■ (heuristics) [usu. treated as sing.] the study and use of heuristic techniques.

– derivatives
heuristically adverb.

– origin C19: formed irregularly from Gk heuriskein ‘to find’.