in an equation, a term that has been sometimes used to denote the several regular terms in a quadratic, cubic, biquadratic, &c., equation, when the indices of the powers ascend or descend orderly in an arithmetical progression. Thus, $x^3 + mx^2 + nx = p$ is a cubic equation where no term is wanting, but having all its parodic degrees; the indices of the terms regularly descending thus, 3, 2, 1, 0.