section_path: History/15th–18th century/"Exponent"; "square" and "cube"
section_name: "Exponent"; "square" and "cube"
paragraph_text: "Exponent"; "square" and "cube"
  
  The word exponent was coined in 1544 by Michael Stifel. In the 16th century, Robert Recorde used the terms square, cube, zenzizenzic (fourth power), sursolid (fifth), zenzicube (sixth), second sursolid (seventh), and zenzizenzizenzic (eighth). Biquadrate has been used to refer to the fourth power as well.