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In mathematics, there is a very important concept of Eigen-decomposition.

I think I understand this concept reasonably well. However, I don't understand why it is called "eigen", rather than other names.

My question is, what does Eigen originally mean?

Can you give me a clue?

Thanks

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Eigen (adj)= means own, in Dutch(Nederlands) and German(Deutsch).

(http://www.etymologiebank.nl/trefwoord/eigen )

The Anglo-Saxon version is: Ægan to own, v. agan.(Anglo-Saxon Dictionary. 1838.)(personal property)

Why it is called Eigen: ".....all other standard types of matrix decomposition use the term "decomposition" in their names, e.g., Cholesky decomposition, Hessenberg decomposition, and so on. As a result, the decomposition of a matrix into matrices composed of its eigenvectors and eigenvalues is called eigen" decomposition in this work. ( http://mathworld.wolfram.com/EigenDecomposition.html )

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