What is "bucket sort"

n. (context comptheory English) A sorting algorithm that partitions an array into a number of buckets (groups of elements) which are then individually sorted, either recursively or using some other algorithm.

Bucket sort, or bin sort, is a sorting algorithm that works by distributing the elements of an array into a number of buckets. Each bucket is then sorted individually, either using a different sorting algorithm, or by recursively applying the bucket sorting algorithm. It is a distribution sort, and is a cousin of radix sort in the most to least significant digit flavour. Bucket sort is a generalization of pigeonhole sort. Bucket sort can be implemented with comparisons and therefore can also be considered a comparison sort algorithm. The computational complexity estimates involve the number of buckets.

Bucket sort works as follows:

1. Set up an array of initially empty "buckets".
2. Scatter: Go over the original array, putting each object in its bucket.
3. Sort each non-empty bucket.
4. Gather: Visit the buckets in order and put all elements back into the original array.