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Arabic numeral

American  
Or Arabic figure

noun

  1. one of the characters 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, in general European use since the 12th century.


Arabic numeral British  

noun

  1. one of the symbols 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 (opposed to Roman numerals )

"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

Arabic numeral Scientific  
/ ărə-bĭk /
  1. One of the numerical symbols 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 0. They are called Arabic numerals because they were introduced into western Europe from sources of Arabic scholarship.


Etymology

Origin of Arabic numeral

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The shift from Roman to Arabic numeral in the title suggests the revival’s relaxed, contemporary tone.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 15, 2024

These advances, however, could not have occurred without the development of the decimal number system in classical India and the innovation of fractions in the Arabic numeral systems of North Africa by the tenth century.

From Textbooks Dec. 14, 2022

In order not to upset the nation that built her, they changed the name to QE2, using the Arabic numeral "2" instead of the Roman "II" the Queen uses.

From BBC Sep. 19, 2017

In a game called Dots to Track, for example, children must ascribe an Arabic numeral to a pattern of dots, similar to those on dice.

From Nature Jan. 9, 2013

The Arabic numeral of each native battalion was worn by the men on their tall fezes and the khaki covers for the head-gear.

From Khartoum Campaign, 1898 or the Re-Conquest of the Soudan by Burleigh, Bennet

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