Meaning of Surprisal | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A surprise attack or ambush; a sudden or unexpected assault.
   countable, obsolete, uncountable
2. A sudden coming-upon someone or something unexpectedly or unawares.
   countable, obsolete, uncountable
3. A surprising event or occurrence.
   countable, obsolete, uncountable
4. The feeling caused by being surprised; surprise, shock, amazement.
   countable, obsolete, uncountable
5. An information measure as equal in bits (binary digits) to the base-2 log of 1 over the probability, with the result that the number of choices equals 2ⁿ where n is the number of bits.
   countable, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“Their chiefe attempts are by Stratagems, trecheries, or surprisals.”

“How to secure the lady from surprisal”

“Because death is uncertain, let⟳ us prevent⟳ its surprisal.”

CEFR level