number

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A word or symbol like 5, 100, or 3.14 that tells you how many or which one.

   Choose a number between one and ten.

2. 2
   noun

   How many people or things there are.

   A large number of people came to the concert.

3. 3
   noun

   The set of digits used to call someone on a phone.

   Can you give me your phone number?

4. 4
   noun

   A series of digits used to identify a person or thing.

   I had to enter my account number to log in.

5. 5
   noun

   In grammar, the form that shows whether a word is singular or plural.

   In English, the subject and the verb must agree in number.

Common collocations

• large number Adjective + noun
• small number Adjective + noun
• growing number Adjective + noun
• increase the number Verb + noun
• limit the number Verb + noun
• reduce the number Verb + noun

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 divide”). Compare Saterland Frisian Nummer, Nuumer, West Frisian nûmer, Dutch nummer (“number”), German Nummer (“number”), Danish nummer (“number”), Swedish nummer (“number”), Icelandic númer (“number”). Replaced Middle English ȝetæl and rime, more at tell, tale and rhyme.

Topics