significant figure

American  

[sig-nif-i-kuhnt fig-yer] / sɪgˈnɪf ɪ kənt ˈfɪg jər /

noun

1. each of the digits forming a number that expresses a determined degree of calculation: a sequence of significant figures always begins with the number’s first nonzero digit.

   Rounding each of the measurements to three significant figures, your answers to the first two problems should be 19.0 inches and 4.52 kilometers, respectively.

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Etymology

Origin of significant figure

First recorded in 1610–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

significant figure

The PACs, he said, “have made Bores, in some ways, the most significant figure in the race.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026

He went on to work for MGM and became known as a significant figure in reality television.

From BBC ● Dec. 21, 2024

Whatever the public perception, Vance’s ambitions and adaptability suggest he is poised to remain a significant figure in American politics for years to come.

From Salon ● Nov. 3, 2024

That’s a significant figure for a contest in which the record number of participants was 186,000, in 2016.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 12, 2023

So suppose the United States wanted to reduce enemy forces by 20 percent—a significant figure, though hardly enough to break their will.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin