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

Explanation

In math, the top number in a fraction is called the numerator. The numerator is the number that will be divided by the bottom number, or denominator. A common fraction looks like two numbers, one above the other, with a line between the numerator and denominator. One simple way to understand a fraction is to imagine a pizza. The denominator shows you how many equal pieces the pizza is divided into, and the numerator represents how many of those pieces you have. In Latin, numerator means "counter or numberer."

Example Sentences

For the first time in at least a year, Americans said global conflict, not inflation, was their top concern, according to an early-March sentiment gauge from Numerator.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 21, 2026

Over summer 2025, casual and fast-food restaurants saw a 6% drop in customers compared to the previous summer, according to research from Worldpanel by Numerator.

From BBC • Jan. 14, 2026

Unlike earlier studies that relied on people describing their own eating habits, this research used actual transaction data from Numerator, a market research firm.

From Science Daily • Jan. 12, 2026

Walmart, the country’s largest grocer and retailer by annual revenue, earns the largest share of this spending, according to data from Numerator, a market research firm.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

So true is it, what I then said, that the Fraction of Life can be increased in value not so much by increasing your Numerator as by lessening your Denominator.

From Sartor Resartus: the life and opinions of Herr Teufelsdröckh by Carlyle, Thomas

Related Words

• figure
• statistic
• sum
• total