amount

[uh-mount]

noun

1. the sum total of two or more quantities or sums; aggregate.

2. the sum of the principal and interest of a loan.

3. quantity; measure.

   a great amount of resistance.

4. the full effect, value, or significance.

verb (used without object)

1. to total; add (usually followed byto ).

   The repair bill amounts to $300.

2. to reach, extend, or be equal in number, quantity, effect, etc.; be equivalent (usually followed byto ).

   It is stated differently but amounts to the same thing.

3. to develop into; become (usually followed byto ).

   With his intelligence, he should amount to something when he grows up.

amount

/ əˈmaʊnt /

noun

1. extent; quantity; supply

2. the total of two or more quantities; sum

3. the full value, effect, or significance of something

4. a principal sum plus the interest on it, as in a loan

verb

1. to be equal or add up in effect, meaning, or quantity

Usage

The use of a plural noun after amount of (an amount of bananas; the amount of refugees ) should be avoided: a quantity of bananas; the number of refugees

Confusables Note

The traditional distinction between amount and number is that amount is used with mass or uncountable nouns ( the amount of paperwork; the amount of energy ) and number with countable nouns ( a number of songs; a number of days ). Although objected to, the use of amount instead of number with countable nouns occurs in both speech and writing, especially when the noun can be considered as a unit or group ( the amount of people present; the amount of weapons ) or when it refers to money ( the amount of dollars paid; the amount of pennies in the till ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of amount¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English verb amounten, amunten, from Anglo-French amo(u)nter, amunter, Old French amonter literally, “to go up, ascend,” probably a- + monter; noun use of verb from early 18th century; a- ⁵, mount ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of amount¹

C13: from Old French amonter to go up, from amont upwards, from a to + mont mountain (from Latin mōns )

Example Sentences

Stack ladyfingers with whole-berry cranberry sauce, vanilla pudding, and whipped cream flecked with a decidedly ungodly amount of orange zest.

Read more on Salon

"If we better understand the underlying processes," says Luo, "we can cook tastier and more digestible dishes, so to speak, because then we'll know exactly which spices, in which amounts, make the sauce especially tasty."

Read more on Science Daily

Although cells are naturally capable of exchanging small amounts of mitochondria, the nanoflower-treated stem cells, which the team describes as mitochondrial bio factories, transferred two to four times more mitochondria than untreated stem cells.

Read more on Science Daily

Disposable income measures the amount of money people have left to spend after taxes have been paid.

Read more on BBC

Stella said the amount of excessive wear on the metal skids was "relatively minor".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• budget 
• cost 
• damage 
• expense 
• extent 
• lot 
• outlay 
• output 
• price tag 
• product 
• sum