integer

American  

[in-ti-jer] / ˈɪn tɪ dʒər /

noun

1. Mathematics. one of the positive or negative numbers 1, 2, 3, etc., or zero.

2. a complete entity.

   Synonyms:

   whole, integral

   Antonyms:

   portion, fraction

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integer British  

/ ˈɪntɪdʒə /

noun

1. any rational number that can be expressed as the sum or difference of a finite number of units, being a member of the set …–3, –2, –1, 0, 1, 2, 3…

2. an individual entity or whole unit

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integer Scientific  

/ ĭn′tĭ-jər /

1. A positive or negative whole number or zero. The numbers 4, −876, and 5,280 are all integers.

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Other Word Forms

• noninteger noun

Etymology

Origin of integer

First recorded in 1500–10; from Latin: “untouched, undivided, whole, fresh,” equivalent to in- negative prefix + -teg- (combining form of tag-, root of tangere “to touch”) + -er adjective suffix; in- ³

Compare meaning

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

• whole number vs. integer

Explanation

Integer is a math term for a number that is a whole number. In the equation 2 + 1/2, the number 2 is the integer and 1/2 is the fraction. Integer comes from a 16th century Latin word meaning "whole" or "intact." For a number to be considered an integer, it must be whole — no fractions or decimals here. An integer can be positive or negative. The numbers 0, 1, 2, -1, and -2 are all examples of integers.

Example Sentences

Accordingly, in the White House video, a +100 integer flashes on-screen when a mortar shell connects with its target, as if the president himself were landing trick shots on his Twitch stream.

From Slate • Mar. 6, 2026

The brain's bias toward simple integer ratios may have evolved as a natural error-correction system that makes it easier to maintain a consistent body of music, which human societies often use to transmit information.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2024

In the mid-1990s mathematician Andrew Wiles was able to prove that if n > 2, this simple equation has no integer solutions for a, b or c.

From Scientific American • Jul. 28, 2023

When they charted integer ratios from birdsong and human music, the plots all produced a similar shape resembling a long-stemmed flower.

From New York Times • Jun. 6, 2023

It is an even number, and it is the integer that precedes one.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

Related Words

• amount
• character
• cost
• number
• price
• rate
• sum
• symbol
• total