Numbers

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈnʌmbɚz/

Definitions

1. A group of symbols that signify quantities, used for calculations, ordering, or identification in mathematics and science is essential for various applications
2. Symbols employed to convey numerical values facilitate counting, measuring, and distinguishing entities across different fields of study
3. A collection of symbolic representations that denote values, often utilized for computation, classification, and assessment in various disciplines is fundamental for analysis

Etymology: The plural "numbers" is simply the form of "number" used for several of them at once, so the story belongs to the singular. "Number" passed into English through Anglo-Norman "noumbre" and Old French "nombre" from Latin "numerus", meaning a count or quantity. Its distant ancestor is a Proto-Indo-European root "nem-", meaning "to distribute, to give, to take", which also gave English the obsolete verb "nim" (to take or seize). That link is the surprising one: a word for tallying began as an idea of allotting and grasping. The word then wandered away from pure arithmetic. The Middle English form "nombre" displaced older words such as "ȝetæl" (a reckoning, from the same family as "tell") and "rime" (rhyme, in the sense of verse). Once it had settled, "number" could mean a unit of count, a numeral, a member of a group, or a single song or piece in a performance, which explains why a programme can still list "numbers".

Synonyms: digits, figures, numerals, characters, counts

Antonyms: letters, alphabets, symbols, characters, words