denominator

American  

[dih-nom-uh-nay-ter] / dɪˈnɒm əˌneɪ tər /

noun

• denominators
  plural

1. Arithmetic. that term of a fraction, usually written under the line, that indicates the number of equal parts into which the unit is divided; divisor.

2. something shared or held in common; standard.

3. Archaic. a person or thing that denominates.

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denominator British  

/ dɪˈnɒmɪˌneɪtə /

noun

1. the divisor of a fraction, as 8 in 7/ 8 Compare numerator

2. archaic a person or thing that denominates or designates

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denominator Scientific  

/ dĭ-nŏm′ə-nā′tər /

1. The number below or to the right of the line in a fraction, indicating the number of equal parts into which one whole is divided. For example, in the fraction 2/7, 7 is the denominator.

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denominator Cultural  

1. In mathematics, the number that appears on the bottom of a fraction. In the fraction 2/3, the denominator is 3. (Compare numerator.)

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• denominators
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of denominator

1535–45; < Medieval Latin dēnōminātor, equivalent to Latin dēnōminā ( re ) ( see denominate) + -tor -tor

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Compare meaning

How does denominator compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• numerator vs. denominator

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Explanation

Write a fraction like 1/2 and the denominator is the number on the bottom. In this case, the 2. Another word for denominator is divisor. Both of these words refer to the number under the line in a common fraction. Similarly, when you're talking about statistical values, a denominator refers to the whole number or population from which samples are taken. The national census, for example, gathers the total number of people and households in the country so that there is a denominator by which to compare statistics like unemployment or welfare.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

denominator denominators

There’s a difference between being a “controversial” comic and appealing to the lowest common denominator.

From Salon ● Oct. 14, 2026

No. But he is the common denominator through all of this.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026

Mr. Johnson adjusts the denominator by removing the third-trimester women.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

I found, unsurprisingly, that the steps people have taken vary quite significantly, but they all have one common denominator: The greens are cooked—in more ways than one.

From Slate ● Jul. 17, 2026

Alone in my bedroom, I studied pictures of intelligent men and searched for a common denominator.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

But there are two common denominators across most countries where scores fell: increasing classroom distractions and reliance on artificial intelligence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

Now that fires from Pacific Palisades to Altadena to Castaic have finally subsided, thousands upon thousands of residents are returning to a life dispossessed of its least common denominators.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 7, 2025

There are some common denominators causing stress on the system that will take radical reform to tackle.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2024

Expanding our knowledge of sleep behaviors across the animal kingdom, sleep researchers note, could reveal common denominators of what the behavior is for at the most basic level.

From Science Magazine ● Nov. 29, 2023

“Is Lexie still doing theatre?” she asked, and for the rest of the meal they made superficial chitchat about the common denominators of their life: children, traffic, the weather.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

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