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number

Pronunciation: /ˈnʌmbər/

The English word “number” has 20 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. Quantity of countable things.
  2. An abstract entity used to describe quantity.
  3. A numeral: a symbol for a non-negative integer.
  4. An element of one of several sets: natural numbers, integers, rational numbers, real numbers, complex numbers, and sometimes extensions such as hypercomplex numbers, etc.
  5. Indicating the position of something in a list or sequence. Abbreviations: No or No., no or no. (in each case, sometimes written with a superscript "o", like Nº or №). The symbol "#" is also used in this manner.
  6. A sequence of digits and letters used to register people, automobiles, and various other items.
  7. A telephone number.
  8. Of a word or phrase, the state of being singular, dual or plural, shown by inflection.
  9. Poetic metres; verses, rhymes.
  10. A performance; especially, a single song or song and dance routine within a larger show.
  11. A group of people.
  12. A person.
  13. An outfit, particularly a stylish one.
  14. A marijuana cigarette, or joint; also, a quantity of marijuana bought from a dealer.
  15. An issue of a periodical publication.
  16. A large amount, in contrast to a smaller amount; numerical preponderance.
  17. An activity; assignment; job, as in cushy number.

verb

  1. To total or count; to amount to.
  2. To limit to a certain number; to reckon (as by fate) to be few in number.
  3. To count; to determine the quantity of.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English number, nombre, numbre, noumbre, from Anglo-Norman noumbre, Old French nombre, from Latin numerus (“number”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *nem- (“to distribute, to give, to take”). Compare Saterland Frisian Nummer, Nuumer, West Frisian nûmer, Dutch nummer (“number”), German Nummer (“number”), Danish nummer (“number”), Swedish nummer (“number”), Icelandic…

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.