merge sort

merge sort

A sorting technique that sequences data by continuously merging items in the list. Every single item in the original unordered list is merged with another, creating groups of two. Every two-item group is merged, creating groups of four and so on until there is one ordered list. See sort algorithm and merge.

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merge sort [′mərj ‚sȯrt]

(computer science)

To produce a single sequence of items ordered according to some rule, from two or more previously ordered or unordered sequences, without changing the items in size, structure, or total number; although more than one pass may be required for a complete sort, items are selected during each pass on the basis of the entire key.