sum

¹

[suhm]

noun

1. the aggregate of two or more numbers, magnitudes, quantities, or particulars as determined by or as if by the mathematical process of addition.

   The sum of 6 and 8 is 14.

2. a particular aggregate or total, especially with reference to money.

   The expenses came to an enormous sum.

3. an indefinite amount or quantity, especially of money.

   to lend small sums.

4. a series of numbers or quantities to be added up.

5. an arithmetical problem to be solved, or such a problem worked out and having the various steps shown.

6. the full amount, or the whole.

7. the substance or gist of a matter, comprehensively or broadly viewed or expressed.

   the sum of his opinions.

8. concise or brief form.

   in sum.

9. Mathematics.

   1. the limit of the sequence of partial sums of a given infinite series.

   2. union.

10. a summary.

verb (used with object)

summed, summing 

1. to combine into an aggregate or total (often followed byup ).

2. to ascertain the sum of, as by addition.

3. to bring into or contain in a small compass (often followed byup ).

verb (used without object)

summed, summing 

1. to amount (usually followed by to orinto ).

   Their expenses summed into the thousands.

verb phrase

1. sum up

   1. to reckon.

      We summed up our assets and liabilities.

   2. to bring into or contain in a brief and comprehensive statement; summarize.

      to sum up the case for the prosecution.

   3. to form a quick estimate of.

      I summed him up in a minute.

SUM

²

1. surface-to-underwater missile.

sum-

³

1. variant of sub- before m: summon.

sum

¹

/ sʌm /

noun

1. 1. the result of the addition of numbers, quantities, objects, etc

   2. the cardinality of the union of disjoint sets whose cardinalities are the given numbers

2. one or more columns or rows of numbers to be added, subtracted, multiplied, or divided

3. maths the limit of a series of sums of the first n terms of a converging infinite series as n tends to infinity

4. (plural) another name for number work

5. a quantity, esp of money

   he borrows enormous sums

6. the essence or gist of a matter (esp in the phrases in sum, in sum and substance )

7. a less common word for summary

8. archaic,  the summit or maximum

9. (modifier) complete or final (esp in the phrase sum total )

verb

1. (often foll by up) to add or form a total of (something)

2. (tr) to calculate the sum of (the terms in a sequence)

sum

²

/ sʊm /

noun

1. the standard monetary unit of Uzbekistan, divided into 100 tiyin

sum

1. The result of adding numbers or quantities. The sum of 6 and 9, for example, is 15, and the sum of 4 x and 5 x is 9 x.

Other Word Forms

• sumless adjective
• sumlessness noun
• outsum verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of sum¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; (noun) Middle English summe, from Latin summa “sum,” noun use of feminine of summus “highest,” superlative of superus ( superior ); (verb) Middle English summen (from Old French summer ), from Medieval Latin summāre, derivative of summa

Word History and Origins

Origin of sum¹

C13 summe, from Old French, from Latin summa the top, sum, from summus highest, from superus in a higher position; see _super

Synonym Study

See number.

Example Sentences

After one of their first practices together, Bennett posted a photo of the pair in Panthers sweaters with a caption that summed up their mutual admiration.

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If the enhanced payments end, fewer enrollees will get help from subsidies, and the sums will shrink for those who still qualify for them.

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For many, it is the modern-day encyclopedia—a site written and edited by volunteers that aims to offer, as Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales once said, free access to “the sum of all human knowledge.”

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“It really looks like all of these components are important, and the whole is more than the sum of its parts,” says Jonathan Matzinger, who helped spearhead the research in Bern.

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Initially, courts set protest-related bail at between $1,500 and $2,300, a colossal sum for most Kenyan families.

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Related Words

• amount 
• bulk 
• quantity 
• value 
• worth