QUANTITY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does quantity mean? 

• QUANTITY (noun)
  The noun QUANTITY has 3 senses:

1. how much there is or how many there are of something that you can quantify

2. an adequate or large amount

3. the concept that something has a magnitude and can be represented in mathematical expressions by a constant or a variable

  Familiarity information: QUANTITY used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• QUANTITY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

How much there is or how many there are of something that you can quantify

Classified under:

Nouns with no superordinates

Synonyms:

amount; measure; quantity

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

abstract entity; abstraction (a general concept formed by extracting common features from specific examples)

Attribute:

standard (conforming to or constituting a standard of measurement or value; or of the usual or regularized or accepted kind)

nonstandard (varying from or not adhering to a standard)

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

quantum ((physics) the smallest discrete quantity of some physical property that a system can possess (according to quantum theory))

interval; time interval (a definite length of time marked off by two instants)

period of play; play; playing period ((in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds)

point; point in time (an instant of time)

time unit; unit of time (a unit for measuring time periods)

proof (a measure of alcoholic strength expressed as an integer twice the percentage of alcohol present (by volume))

volume (a relative amount)

volume (the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object)

radical ((mathematics) a quantity expressed as the root of another quantity)

magnetisation; magnetization (the extent or degree to which something is magnetized)

cordage (the amount of wood in an area as measured in cords)

metric; system of measurement (a system of related measures that facilitates the quantification of some particular characteristic)

relative quantity (a quantity relative to some purpose)

indefinite quantity (an estimated quantity)

definite quantity (a specific measure of amount)

fundamental measure; fundamental quantity (one of the four quantities that are the basis of systems of measurement)

economic value; value (the amount (of money or goods or services) that is considered to be a fair equivalent for something else)

chance; probability (a measure of how likely it is that some event will occur; a number expressing the ratio of favorable cases to the whole number of cases possible)

octane number; octane rating (a measure of the antiknock properties of gasoline)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An adequate or large amount

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

he had a quantity of ammunition

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

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

Attribute:

abundant (present in great quantity)

scarce (deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand)

sufficient (of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant)

deficient; insufficient (of a quantity not able to fulfill a need or requirement)

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

abundance; copiousness; teemingness (the property of a more than adequate quantity or supply)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The concept that something has a magnitude and can be represented in mathematical expressions by a constant or a variable

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

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

concept; conception; construct (an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances)

Domain category:

math; mathematics; maths (a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement)

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

binomial ((mathematics) a quantity expressed as a sum or difference of two terms; a polynomial with two terms)

proportional (one of the quantities in a mathematical proportion)

amount; sum; total (a quantity obtained by the addition of a group of numbers)

mathematical product; product (a quantity obtained by multiplication)

parameter (a quantity (such as the mean or variance) that characterizes a statistical population and that can be estimated by calculations from sample data)

constant; constant quantity; invariable (a quantity that does not vary)

variable; variable quantity (a quantity that can assume any of a set of values)

operand (a quantity upon which a mathematical operation is performed)

numerical quantity (a quantity expressed as a number)

term (any distinct quantity contained in a polynomial)

quantum (a discrete amount of something that is analogous to the quantities in quantum theory)

Derivation:

quantify (express as a number or measure or quantity)

 Context examples 

Bees can even choose the value of zero, when trained to select the lesser of two quantities.

(Scientists Discover Bees Can Count Using Only Four Brain Cells, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Nor was there any surprise in a correlation between amounts of salt and overall quantity of urine.

(Salty Diet Makes You Hungry, Not Thirsty, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Despite the smaller quantity, microdrug administration still achieves the desired pharmalogic effect.

(Microdose, NCI Thesaurus)

Ah, we'll do quantities of good, won't we?

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

A derived unit expressed as quantity in micrograms per specimen.

(Microgram per Specimen, NCI Thesaurus)

The team found large quantities of ices made from water and carbon dioxide in the cloud around the object.

(NASA Team Probes Peculiar Age-Defying Star, NASA)

Mid-way between small and large in number, quantity, magnitude or extent.

(Medium, NCI Thesaurus)

The quantity of 280nm light that is not transmitted through a substance or solution.

(Absorbance at 280nm, NCI Thesaurus)

The quantity of something that is borne or carried by an individual or population.

(Burden, NCI Thesaurus)

The quantity of 260nm light that is not transmitted through a substance or solution.

(Absorbance at 260nm, NCI Thesaurus)