Source : WordNet®

mu
     n : the 12th letter of the Greek alphabet

Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

Mu
     
         (Greek letter).
     
        1.  /micro/ prefix denoting division by 10^6, e.g. mu m
        (micrometre, a millionth part of a metre).  Sometimes written
        as a 'u', the ASCII character nearest in appearance.
     
        2.  /myoo/ In the theory of functions, mu x . E
        denotes the least value of x for which E = x, i.e. the {least
        fixed point} of the function \ x . E.  The {recursive}
        function mu f . H f satisfies (and is defined by) the equation
     
        	mu f . H f = H (mu f . H f)
     
        An alternative notation for the same function is
     
        	fix H = H (fix H)
     
        See {fixed point combinator}.
     
        3.  {multiple value}.
     
        [{Jargon File}]
     
        (1995-10-30)

mu
     
        1.  The {country code} for Mauritius.
     
        2.  /moo/ The correct answer to the classic trick
        question "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?".  Assuming
        that you have no wife or you have never beaten your wife, the
        answer "yes" is wrong because it implies that you used to beat
        your wife and then stopped, but "no" is worse because it
        suggests that you have one and are still beating her.
        According to various Discordians and Douglas Hofstadter the
        correct answer is usually "mu", a Japanese word alleged to
        mean "Your question cannot be answered because it depends on
        incorrect assumptions".
     
        Hackers tend to be sensitive to logical inadequacies in
        language, and many have adopted this suggestion with
        enthusiasm.  The word "mu" is actually from Chinese, meaning
        "nothing"; it is used in mainstream Japanese in that sense,
        but native speakers do not recognise the Discordian
        question-denying use.  It almost certainly derives from
        overgeneralisation of the answer in the following well-known
        Rinzei Zen teaching riddle:
     
        A monk asked Joshu, "Does a dog have the Buddha nature?"
        Joshu retorted, "Mu!"
     
        See also {has the X nature}, {AI Koan}.
     
        [Douglas Hofstadter, "Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden
        Braid"].
     
        [{Jargon File}]
     
        (2000-11-22)