math
1 Americannoun
noun
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a mowing; a leveling or cutting down of grass, grain, etc., with a mowing machine or scythe.
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the crop mowed.
noun
abbreviation
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mathematical.
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mathematician.
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mathematics.
noun
abbreviation
Etymology
Origin of math1
First recorded in 1845–50; by shortening
Origin of math2
First recorded before 900; Middle English (bede)-mad, a kind of manorial duty to mow for one's lord, Old English mǣth “mowing, hay harvest”; cognate with German Mahd, Old Frisian mēth, Old Saxon mād(dag) “mowing (day)”; aftermath, mow 1, mow 2
Origin of math3
First recorded in 1825–35; from Hindi maṭh, from Sanskrit maṭha “hut, cottage, cell, monastery”
Explanation
Math is the science of numbers. You may start out learning addition and subtraction in math, and then end up years later tackling multivariable implicit differentiation problems. Say what?! Math is the common, shortened form of mathematics, which comes from the Greek mathematike tekhne, "mathematical science," from the root mathema, "knowledge or science." Math is one of the basic subjects that are covered in nearly every school, from basic addition to calculus. If someone says, "Do the math," they usually mean, "Just think about it — it's so obvious."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Infiniti: I was in math class at school — and that’s extra terrifying because I was really bad at math.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026
Every $10 billion or so in incremental revenue amounts to roughly $1 in incremental earnings per share, according to Rasgon’s math.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026
Still, the safety of Treasury debt is a function of math and confidence.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
Anyone who’s watched these wars up close knows how this math works.
From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026
Oliver’s brow pinched, as though doing the math in his head.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
