NUMBER (number)

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does number mean? 

• NUMBER (noun)
  The noun NUMBER has 12 senses:

1. the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

2. a concept of quantity involving zero and units

3. a short performance that is part of a longer program

4. the number is used in calling a particular telephone

5. a symbol used to represent a number

6. one of a series published periodically

7. a select company of people

8. a numeral or string of numerals that is used for identification and may be attached to accounts, memberships, etc.

9. a clothing measurement

10. a numbered item in a series

11. the grammatical category for the forms of nouns and pronouns and verbs that are used depending on the number of entities involved (singular or dual or plural)

12. an item of clothing

  Familiarity information: NUMBER used as a noun is familiar.

• NUMBER (verb)
  The verb NUMBER has 6 senses:

1. add up in number or quantity

2. give numbers to

3. enumerate

4. put into a group

5. determine the number or amount of

6. place a limit on the number of

  Familiarity information: NUMBER used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• NUMBER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

figure; number

Context example:

the figure was about a thousand

Hypernyms ("number" is a kind of...):

amount (the relative magnitude of something with reference to a criterion)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "number"):

preponderance; prevalence (a superiority in numbers or amount)

countlessness; innumerableness (a number beyond counting)

bulk; majority (the property resulting from being or relating to the greater in number of two parts; the main part)

minority (being or relating to the smaller in number of two parts)

fewness (the quality of being small in number)

roundness (the quality of being round numbers)

multiplicity; numerosity; numerousness (a large number)

Derivation:

number (enumerate)

number (determine the number or amount of)

number (give numbers to)

number (add up in number or quantity)

number (place a limit on the number of)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A concept of quantity involving zero and units

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Context example:

every number has a unique position in the sequence

Hypernyms ("number" is a kind of...):

definite quantity (a specific measure of amount)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "number"):

base; radix ((numeration system) the positive integer that is equivalent to one in the next higher counting place)

linage; lineage (the number of lines in a piece of printed material)

natural number (the number 1 and any other number obtained by adding 1 to it repeatedly)

quota (a prescribed number)

integer; whole number (any of the natural numbers (positive or negative) or zero)

addend (a number that is added to another number (the augend))

augend (a number to which another number (the addend) is added)

minuend (the number from which the subtrahend is subtracted)

subtrahend (the number to be subtracted from the minuend)

difference; remainder (the number that remains after subtraction; the number that when added to the subtrahend gives the minuend)

complex number; complex quantity; imaginary; imaginary number ((mathematics) a number of the form a+bi where a and b are real numbers and i is the square root of -1)

second power; square (the product of two equal terms)

cube; third power (the product of three equal terms)

biquadrate; biquadratic; fourth power; quartic (an algebraic equation or function of the fourth degree)

root (a number that, when multiplied by itself some number of times, equals a given number)

dividend (a number to be divided by another number)

divisor (the number by which a dividend is divided)

quotient (the number obtained by division)

remainder (the part of the dividend that is left over when the dividend is not evenly divisible by the divisor)

multiplier; multiplier factor (the number by which a multiplicand is multiplied)

multiplicand (the number that is multiplied by the multiplier)

atomic number (the order of an element in Mendeleyev's table of the elements; equal to the number of protons in the nucleus or electrons in the neutral state of an atom of an element)

arity (the number of arguments that a function can take)

co-ordinate; coordinate (a number that identifies a position relative to an axis)

folio; page number; pagination; paging (the system of numbering pages)

decimal (a number in the decimal system)

constant (a number representing a quantity assumed to have a fixed value in a specified mathematical context)

oxidation number; oxidation state (the degree of oxidation of an atom or ion or molecule; for simple atoms or ions the oxidation number is equal to the ionic charge)

cardinality ((mathematics) the number of elements in a set or group (considered as a property of that grouping))

count (the total number counted)

factor (any of the numbers (or symbols) that form a product when multiplied together)

Fibonacci number (a number in the Fibonacci sequence)

composite number (an integer that is divisible without remainder by at least one positive integer other than itself and one)

score (a number that expresses the accomplishment of a team or an individual in a game or contest)

record (the number of wins versus losses and ties a team has had)

compound number (a quantity expressed in two different units)

no.; ordinal; ordinal number (the number designating place in an ordered sequence)

cardinal; cardinal number (the number of elements in a mathematical set; denotes a quantity but not the order)

floating-point number (a number represented in floating-point notation)

fixed-point number (a number represented in fixed-point notation)

baryon number (a number equal to the difference between the number of baryons and the number of antibaryons in any subatomic structure; it is conserved in all types of particle interactions)

prime; prime quantity (a natural number that has exactly two distinct natural number divisors: 1 and itself)

Derivation:

number (place a limit on the number of)

number (enumerate)

number (determine the number or amount of)

number (give numbers to)

number (add up in number or quantity)

numerical (of or relating to or denoting numbers)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A short performance that is part of a longer program

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

act; bit; number; routine; turn

Context example:

it was one of the best numbers he ever did

Hypernyms ("number" is a kind of...):

performance; public presentation (a dramatic or musical entertainment)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "number"):

show-stopper; showstopper; stopper (an act so striking or impressive that the show must be delayed until the audience quiets down)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The number is used in calling a particular telephone

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

number; phone number; telephone number

Context example:

he has an unlisted number

Hypernyms ("number" is a kind of...):

sign; signal; signaling (any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A symbol used to represent a number

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

number; numeral

Context example:

he learned to write the numerals before he went to school

Hypernyms ("number" is a kind of...):

symbol (an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "number"):

Arabic numeral; Hindu-Arabic numeral; Hindu numeral (one of the symbols 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0)

antilog; antilogarithm (the number of which a given number is the logarithm)

Roman numeral (a symbol in the old Roman notation; I,V,X,L,C,D,M represent 1,5,10,50,100,500,1000 respectively in Arabic notation)

Derivation:

number (determine the number or amount of)

number (add up in number or quantity)

number (give numbers to)

number (enumerate)

number (place a limit on the number of)

Sense 6

Meaning:

One of a series published periodically

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

issue; number

Context example:

she found an old issue of the magazine in her dentist's waiting room

Hypernyms ("number" is a kind of...):

periodical (a publication that appears at fixed intervals)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "number"):

edition (an issue of a newspaper)

Holonyms ("number" is a member of...):

serial; serial publication; series (a periodical that appears at scheduled times)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A select company of people

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Context example:

I hope to become one of their number before I die

Hypernyms ("number" is a kind of...):

company (a social gathering of guests or companions)

Derivation:

number (put into a group)

Sense 8

Meaning:

A numeral or string of numerals that is used for identification and may be attached to accounts, memberships, etc.

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

she refused to give them her Social Security number

Hypernyms ("number" is a kind of...):

positive identification (evidence proving that you are who you say you are; evidence establishing that you are among the group of people already known to the system; recognition by the system leads to acceptance)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "number"):

ABA transit number; bank identification number; BIN (an identification number consisting of a two-part code assigned to banks and savings associations; the first part shows the location and the second identifies the bank itself)

license number; registration number (the number on the license plate that identifies the car that bears it)

Social Security number (the number of a particular individual's Social Security account)

personal identification number; PIN; PIN number (a number you choose and use to gain access to various accounts)

Derivation:

number (place a limit on the number of)

number (enumerate)

number (determine the number or amount of)

number (give numbers to)

Sense 9

Meaning:

A clothing measurement

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

a number 13 shoe

Hypernyms ("number" is a kind of...):

size (the property resulting from being one of a series of graduated measurements (as of clothing))

Domain usage:

colloquialism (a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech)

Sense 10

Meaning:

A numbered item in a series

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

take the number 2 to the main square, then change to the number 5

Hypernyms ("number" is a kind of...):

item (a whole individual unit; especially when included in a list or collection)

Sense 11

Meaning:

The grammatical category for the forms of nouns and pronouns and verbs that are used depending on the number of entities involved (singular or dual or plural)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

in English the subject and the verb must agree in number

Hypernyms ("number" is a kind of...):

grammatical category; syntactic category ((grammar) a category of words having the same grammatical properties)

Sense 12

Meaning:

An item of clothing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Context example:

this sweater is an all-wool number

Hypernyms ("number" is a kind of...):

merchandise; product; ware (commodities offered for sale)

• NUMBER (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Add up in number or quantity

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

add up; amount; come; number; total

Context example:

The bill came to $2,000

Hypernyms (to "number" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "number"):

work out (be calculated)

outnumber (be larger in number)

average; average out (amount to or come to an average, without loss or gain)

make (add up to)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

number (the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals)

number (a symbol used to represent a number)

number (a concept of quantity involving zero and units)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Give numbers to

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

You should number the pages of the thesis

Hypernyms (to "number" is one way to...):

denominate; designate (assign a name or title to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "number"):

foliate; page; paginate (number the pages of a book or manuscript)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

number (the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals)

number (a numeral or string of numerals that is used for identification and may be attached to accounts, memberships, etc.)

number (a symbol used to represent a number)

number (a concept of quantity involving zero and units)

numbering (a numbered list)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Enumerate

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

list; number

Context example:

We must number the names of the great mathematicians

Hypernyms (to "number" is one way to...):

identify; name (give the name or identifying characteristics of; refer to by name or some other identifying characteristic property)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "number"):

itemise; itemize (place on a list of items)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

number (the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals)

number (a numeral or string of numerals that is used for identification and may be attached to accounts, memberships, etc.)

number (a symbol used to represent a number)

number (a concept of quantity involving zero and units)

numbering (a numbered list)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Put into a group

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

count; number

Context example:

The academy counts several Nobel Prize winners among its members

Hypernyms (to "number" is one way to...):

assort; class; classify; separate; sort; sort out (arrange or order by classes or categories)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

number (a select company of people)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Determine the number or amount of

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

count; enumerate; number; numerate

Context example:

Count your change

Hypernyms (to "number" is one way to...):

ascertain; determine; find; find out (establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "number"):

recount (count again)

miscount (count wrongly)

census (conduct a census)

add; add together; add up; sum; sum up; summate; tally; tot; tot up; total; tote up (determine the sum of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

number (a concept of quantity involving zero and units)

number (a symbol used to represent a number)

number (a numeral or string of numerals that is used for identification and may be attached to accounts, memberships, etc.)

number (the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Place a limit on the number of

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

keep down; number

Hypernyms (to "number" is one way to...):

circumscribe; confine to; limit (restrict or confine within limits)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

number (the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals)

number (a concept of quantity involving zero and units)

number (a numeral or string of numerals that is used for identification and may be attached to accounts, memberships, etc.)

number (a symbol used to represent a number)

 Context examples 

This seemed to pique general curiosity, and quite a number of people began to run.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Those are few in number, and difficult to discover.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

We compute the Tramecksan, or high heels, to exceed us in number; but the power is wholly on our side.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Being with a friend or a number of friendly people will touch your heart at this time.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

A rapidly progressing cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of white blood cells to be produced and enter the blood stream.

(Acute leukemia, NCI Dictionary)

We can only imagine, therefore, that the balance of Nature is preserved by some check which limits the numbers of these ferocious creatures.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The worst of Bath was the number of its plain women.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Martin had met him a number of times and had failed to like him.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The determination of the number of metamyelocytes present in a sample.

(Metamyelocyte Count, NCI Thesaurus)

The line number of the medical history.

(Medical History Line Number, NCI Thesaurus)