numeral

American  

[noo-mer-uhl, nyoo-, noom-ruhl, nyoom-] / ˈnu mər əl, ˈnyu-, ˈnum rəl, ˈnyum- /

noun

1. a word, letter, symbol, or figure, etc., expressing a number; number.

   the Roman numerals.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or consisting of numbers or numerals.

2. expressing or noting a number or numbers.

numeral British  

/ ˈnjuːmərəl /

noun

1. a symbol or group of symbols used to express a number: for example, 6 ( Arabic ), VI ( Roman ), 110 ( binary )

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adjective

1. of, consisting of, or denoting a number

numeral Scientific  

/ no̅o̅′mər-əl /

1. A symbol or mark used to represent a number.

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numeral Cultural  

1. A word or symbol used to represent a number.

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Other Word Forms

• nonnumeral noun

Etymology

Origin of numeral

1520–30; < Late Latin numerālis of, belonging to number, equivalent to Latin numer ( us ) number + -ālis -al ¹

Example Sentences

The Saudi-backed circuit, whose name is derived from the Roman numeral for '54', had previously touted its three-round tournaments as a core distinction from traditional golf events.

From Barron's • Nov. 4, 2025

Expedition 33 is set in Lumiere, a fictional world overshadowed by a huge monolith bearing a glowing numeral on its face.

From BBC • May 3, 2025

If the number is less than .5, the image is not assumed to contain a tumor; a numeral greater than .5 warrants a closer look.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2024

A photo of the sticker that oversight officials spotted outside the Lynwood jail, for example, showed the skeletal figure ripping through a logo with the letters CEN and the Roman numeral 21.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2024

It looked just as it had in Anorak's Invitation: a simple antique copper key, its oval-shaped bow embossed with the roman numeral “I.”

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline