decimal

[ des-uh-muh l, des-muh l ]
/ ˈdɛs ə məl, ˈdɛs məl /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR decimal ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

pertaining to tenths or to the number 10.
proceeding by tens: a decimal system.

noun

decimal fraction.

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Origin of decimal

1600–10; < Medieval Latin decimālis of tenths, equivalent to Latin decim(a) tenth (derivative of decem ten) + -ālis -al1

OTHER WORDS FROM decimal

dec·i·mal·ly, adverb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH decimal

decimal decimate destroy (see usage note at decimate) (see synonym study at destroy)

Words nearby decimal

decigram, decile, deciliter, decilitre, decillion, decimal, decimal classification, decimal currency, decimal fraction, decimal notation, decimal place
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to decimals

sum, total, figure, statistic, count, digit, emblem, prime, symbol, character, sign, cipher, cardinal, fraction, representation, numeral, ordinal, googol, numerator, integer

Example sentences from the Web for decimals

British Dictionary definitions for decimals

decimal
/ (ˈdɛsɪməl) /

noun

Also called: decimal fraction a fraction that has a denominator of a power of ten, the power depending on or deciding the decimal place. It is indicated by a decimal point to the left of the numerator, the denominator being omitted. Zeros are inserted between the point and the numerator, if necessary, to obtain the correct decimal place
any number used in the decimal system

adjective

  1. relating to or using powers of ten
  2. of the base ten
(prenominal) expressed as a decimal

Derived forms of decimal

decimally, adverb

Word Origin for decimal

C17: from Medieval Latin decimālis of tithes, from Latin decima a tenth, from decem ten
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

Scientific definitions for decimals

decimal
[ dĕs′ə-məl ]

A representation of a real number using the base ten and decimal notation, such as 201.4, 3.89, or 0.0006.
A decimal fraction.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for decimals

decimals

Fractional numbers (see fraction) expressed as whole numbers of tenths, hundredths, thousandths, and so on. One-half, for example, is 0.5 in decimal terms.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.