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scalar product
This term is used exclusively within the domains of linear algebra and physics to describe a specific operation between two vectors. It is frequently used interchangeably with the term "dot product," although "scalar product" emphasizes the nature of the result—a single numerical value (a scalar) rather than a vector.
In technical communication, the term is typically used in a formal, academic register. It is almost always paired with vectors in a mathematical context to describe projections or the degree of alignment between two directional quantities.
Meanings
The result of multiplying two vectors to produce a single scalar value, calculated as the sum of the products of their corresponding components or as the product of their magnitudes and the cosine of the angle between them.
The scalar product of two perpendicular vectors is always zero.