natural number

American  

noun

1. a positive integer or zero.

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natural number British  

noun

1. any of the numbers 0,1,2,3,4,… that can be used to count the members of a set; the non-negative integers

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natural number Scientific  

1. A positive integer.

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Etymology

Origin of natural number

First recorded in 1755–65

Example Sentences

For someone who is not a natural number eight, he is also up there as the world's best in the position.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

While Mbeumo, who signed from French club Troyes in 2019, is not a natural number nine, he is viewed as being versatile, dynamic, powerful and fast, and Amorim wants flexible players.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2025

If people put forward these replies to the largest natural number question, who would be right?

From Scientific American • Jul. 13, 2023

A fragile tail, featuring at least three natural number 11s, also cranked up the responsibility on the overnight pairing of Root and Foakes.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 5, 2022

We have heard it said that five per cent. is the natural interest of money, that twelve is the natural number of a jury, that forty shillings is the natural qualification of a county voter.

From Critical and Historical Essays — Volume 2 by Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron