prime number
noun
a positive integer that is not divisible without remainder by any integer except itself and 1, with 1 often excluded.
prime numbers
-
pluralof prime number.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A nice historical example of the good kind of hard problem centers on Bernhard Riemann—but work far removed from prime numbers and the hypothesis that bears his name.
From Slate ● Jun. 22, 2026
That prime numbers form the foundation of contemporary cryptography is something you can watch YouTube videos about, though it feels like some big revelation here.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 21, 2025
For one thing, current math benchmarks are mostly pitched to high school or undergraduate-level math—a far cry from research-level math, which often tackles notorious problems unsolved for centuries, such as the distribution of prime numbers.
From Science Magazine ● Dec. 2, 2024
They stay underground either 13 or 17 years, both prime numbers.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 1, 2024
And I hadn’t even counted prime numbers first.
From "The Lions of Little Rock" by Kristin Levine
