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number

[ nuhm-ber ]
/ ˈnʌm bər /
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See synonyms for: number / numbered / numbering / numbers on Thesaurus.com

noun
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
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Idioms about number

Origin of number

First recorded in 1250–1300; 1940–45 for def. 23; Middle English noun nombre, nomber, number, from Old French nombre, numbre, from Latin numerus; verb derivative of the noun)

synonym study for number

2. Number, sum both imply the total of two or more units. Number applies to the result of a count or estimate in which the units are considered as individuals; it is used of groups of persons or things: to have a number of items on the agenda. Sum applies to the result of addition, in which only the total is considered: a large sum of money.

grammar notes for number

2. As a collective noun, number, when preceded by a, is most often treated as a plural: A number of legislators have voiced their dissent. When preceded by the, it is usually used as a singular: The number of legislators present was small. See also collective noun.

words often confused with number

See amount,

OTHER WORDS FROM number

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH number

amount, number (see confusables note at amount)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use number in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for number

number
/ (ˈnʌmbə) /

noun
verb (mainly tr)

Word Origin for number

C13: from Old French nombre, from Latin numerus
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for number

number
[ nŭmbər ]

A member of the set of positive integers. Each number is one of a series of unique symbols, each of which has exactly one predecessor except the first symbol in the series (1), and none of which are the predecessor of more than one number.
A member of any of the further sets of mathematical objects defined in terms of such numbers, such as negative integers, real numbers, and complex numbers.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for number

number

The grammatical category that classifies a noun, pronoun, or verb as singular or plural. Woman, it, and is are singular; women, they, and are are plural.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Other Idioms and Phrases with number

number

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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