Numerus

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A figure or symbol representing a numerical value ; a grammatical category denoting quantity, such as singular or plural ; a count or total amount in a specified set
2. A character or group of characters signifying a number ; a linguistic classification showing the quantity of nouns and verbs ; the act of counting or the total count of items
3. A notation or digit indicating numerical quantity ; a grammatical distinction based on quantity in language ; the measured or stated quantity of elements in a group

Etymology: Roman military units of non-citizen auxiliaries were called "numeri," so the Latin term could name a body of troops as well as an abstract tally. The same word could describe a group of people or a count of them. The Latin form is generally linked to a root meaning to allot or distribute, which suits the idea of counting things out into shares. A related Latin word, "nummus," meant coin, so reckoning and payment were close in sense. In English, the Latin form survives mainly as a technical term. Grammarians use it for the singular and plural distinction, and the phrase "numerus clausus," meaning a fixed quota on admissions, appears in English texts about university places.

Synonyms: number, quantity, count, amount, figure