numerator

American  

[noo-muh-rey-ter, nyoo-] / ˈnu məˌreɪ tər, ˈnyu- /

noun

1. Arithmetic. the term of a fraction, usually above the line, that indicates the number of equal parts that are to be added together; the dividend placed over a divisor.

   The numerator of the fraction 2/3 is 2.

2. a person or thing that numbers.

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numerator British  

/ ˈnjuːməˌreɪtə /

noun

1. maths the dividend of a fraction Compare denominator

   the numerator of is 7

2. a person or thing that numbers; enumerator

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numerator Scientific  

/ no̅o̅′mə-rā′tər /

1. A number written above or to the left of the line in a common fraction to indicate the number of parts of the whole. For example, 2 is the numerator in the fraction 2/7.

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numerator Cultural  

1. In mathematics, the number that appears on the top of a fraction. In the fraction 2/3, the numerator is 2. (Compare denominator.)

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Etymology

Origin of numerator

1535–45; < Late Latin numerātor a counter, numberer, equivalent to Latin numerā ( re ) to number + -tor -tor

Compare meaning

How does numerator compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• numerator vs. denominator

Example Sentences

Their concern, however, stems from the level of the numerator rather than the sustainability of the denominator.

From Barron's

Note that the plunging ratio tells us nothing about the U.S. economy, since the economy affects both the numerator and the denominator of the ratio and therefore has no net effect on its level.

From MarketWatch

But you have so many numerators in this case that need to be overhauled, need to be fixed.

From Salon

Accurate counts of gun-violence events — the numerators needed to calculate those rates — are hard to come by, too.

From Scientific American

We know they are going to add watch time to the denominator, but we have to increase the numerator as well.

From The Verge

Related Words

• figure
• statistic
• sum
• total