Definition: chaotic system

A process that seems to produce random outputs when repeated, but are not random. The difference is due to minute variations of the inputs that ultimately cause changes in the outputs. The classic chaotic system example is the theoretical "Butterfly Effect," in which the wings of a butterfly cause a variation in the weather hundreds of miles away. The more nuances are captured, the more chaotic a system may appear, because those exact same input conditions are not repeated the next time.