amount

[ uh-mount ]
/ əˈmaʊnt /

noun

the sum total of two or more quantities or sums; aggregate.
the sum of the principal and interest of a loan.
quantity; measure: a great amount of resistance.
the full effect, value, or significance.

verb (used without object)

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Origin of amount

1250–1300; Middle English amounten, amunten < Anglo-French amo(u)nter, amunter, Old French amonter literally, to go up, ascend, probably a- a-5 + monter (see mount1); E noun use of v. from early 18th cent.

usage note for amount

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 ).

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH amount

amount number (see usage note at the current entry)

Words nearby amount

amortizement, amory, amos, amosite, amoss' sign, amount, amount at risk, amount of substance, amount to, amount to the same thing, amour
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to amounting

load, bulk, extent, supply, chunk, number, volume, lot, measure, ton, product, outlay, sum, budget, damage, cost, output, expense, import, burden

Example sentences from the Web for amounting

British Dictionary definitions for amounting

amount
/ (əˈmaʊnt) /

noun

extent; quantity; supply
the total of two or more quantities; sum
the full value, effect, or significance of something
a principal sum plus the interest on it, as in a loan

verb

(intr usually foll by to) to be equal or add up in effect, meaning, or quantity

Word Origin for amount

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

usage for amount

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
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012