whole number
Americannoun
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Also called counting number. one of the positive integers or zero; any of the numbers (0, 1, 2, 3, …).
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(loosely) integer.
noun
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an integer
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a natural number
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A member of the set of positive integers and zero.
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A positive integer.
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An integer.
Etymology
Origin of whole number
First recorded in 1550–60
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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.
Magnitudes on the Richter scale are measured logarithmically, with each whole number increase representing ten times more in measured amplitude.
From Barron's • May 11, 2026
The 14th Amendment requires that congressional seats be distributed among the states “according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State.”
From Seattle Times • May 8, 2024
The moment magnitude scale is logarithmic — that is, each whole number of magnitude represents about a 30-fold increase in energy released.
From New York Times • Apr. 5, 2024
"Sadly for a whole number of reasons, rugby players are going to have to accept that their market value has changed," explains BBC rugby union correspondent Chris Jones.
From BBC • Mar. 7, 2023
However, for orbits whose lengths were not a whole number of wavelengths, each wave crest would eventually be canceled out by a trough as the electrons went round; these orbits would not be allowed.
From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
