integer

American  

[in-ti-jer] / ˈɪn tɪ dʒər /

noun

• integers
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• noninteger
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• integers
  plural

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; see 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

See Examples For:

integer integers

What mattered was mostly the initial integer, or what was “to the left of the decimal point,” rather than anything more exact.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 17, 2026

Quantum systems’ disruptive potential lies in their ability to execute Shor’s algorithm, or find the prime factors of an integer in polynomial time.

From Barron's ● May 22, 2026

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

This means that systematic variations of the compound's chemical formula, which can be represented using integer variables, result in systematic changes in its properties.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 17, 2024

In quantum mechanics, the forces or interactions between matter particles are all supposed to be carried by particles of integer spin—0, 1, or 2.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking

Quantum computers can be used to solve problems that even supercomputers can only solve after a very long time or not at all, such as breaking down large integers into prime factors.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 27, 2024

These latest projects are primarily driven by a specific continued fraction whose nested integers form the sequence 1, 2, 3,…, Elsner says.

From Scientific American ● Jun. 2, 2023

All real numbers that cannot be represented by a fraction of two integers are irrational.

From Scientific American ● May 23, 2023

“I’m so used to this kudzu sprawl of figurative language,” she said, “and simple can feel like ‘see spot run,’ but there are simple words like prime integers that carry so much meaning when sung.”

From New York Times ● Feb. 3, 2023

Even the rational numbers—the set of numbers that can be written as a/b for integers a and b—were countable.

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

Related Words

• amount
• character
• cost
• number
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