mathematical
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or of the nature of mathematics.
mathematical truth.
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employed in the operations of mathematics.
mathematical instruments.
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having the exactness, precision, or certainty of mathematics.
- Synonyms:
- rigorous, meticulous, precise, exact
adjective
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of, used in, or relating to mathematics
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characterized by or using the precision of mathematics; exact
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using, determined by, or in accordance with the principles of mathematics
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of mathematical
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin mathēmatic ( us ) pertaining to mathematics + -al 1
Explanation
Anything mathematical has to do with the science of numbers and shapes, or is as precise and exact as a mathematical calculation. If you weigh your new puppy's food on a digital scale each morning, you can say you're feeding her with mathematical precision. And when you work on problems in algebra class, you're most likely using mathematical formulas to solve them. Mathematical is derived from the Greek mathēmatike tekhnē, "mathematical science," and its root, which means "to learn."
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.
A team led by Los Alamos scientist Roxana Bujack used geometry to build a mathematical definition of color perception based on hue, saturation, and lightness.
From Science Daily • Jun. 7, 2026
"These students deserve confidence that their grades will reflect their mathematical ability rather than the unusual difficulty of a single examination paper," it continues.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
The new faculty letter says that “for three consecutive years, 20-30% of UC Berkeley first-semester calculus students who participated in mathematical diagnostic testing displayed severe preparation deficits.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
But if they did, they would see that it’s essentially the same story—an A.I. chatbot is just a mathematical flip-book.
From Slate • May 25, 2026
Their mathematical theories might be beautiful and consistent and might seem to explain the nature of the universe—and be utterly wrong.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
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.
