cardinal number

American  

[kahr-dn-l nuhm-ber] / ˈkɑr dn l ˈnʌm bər /

noun

cardinal numbers plural

1. Also called cardinal numeral.  any of the numbers that express amount, as one, two, three, etc. (distinguished from ordinal number).

2. Also called potency, power.  Mathematics. a number or symbol analogous to the number of elements in a finite set, being identical for two sets that can be placed into one-to-one correspondence.

   The cardinal number of the set a1, a2, … an is n.

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cardinal number British  

noun

1. Sometimes shortened to: cardinal.  a number denoting quantity but not order in a set

2. maths logic

   1. a measure of the size of a set that does not take account of the order of its members Compare natural number

   2. a particular number having this function

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cardinal number Scientific  

/ kär′dn-əl /

1. A number, such as 3, 11, or 412, used in counting to indicate quantity but not order.

2. Compare ordinal number

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• cardinal numbers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cardinal number

First recorded in 1585–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cardinal number

The cardinal number 𝔡 is defined as the smallest possible size of a set of continuous functions sufficient to dominate every possible continuous function.

From Scientific American ● Aug. 16, 2021

For every infinite cardinal ℵa, there is a next larger cardinal number ℵa+1.

From Scientific American ● Aug. 16, 2021

FORTY, the cardinal number equal to four tens.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 6 "Foraminifera" to "Fox, Edward" by Various

What business has this cardinal number octiesque uno in a row of ordinals?

From The Discovery of America Vol. 1 (of 2) with some account of Ancient America and the Spanish Conquest by Fiske, John

But, according to the 7th part of Obs. 7th, page 280th, "In specifying any part of a series, we ought to place the cardinal number after the ordinal."

From The Grammar of English Grammars by Brown, Goold