First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
quantity
noun quan·ti·ty \ˈkwän-tə-tē\
: an amount or number of something
: a large amount or number of something
plural quan·ti·ties
Full Definition of QUANTITY
1
a : an indefinite amount or number b : a determinate or estimated amount c : total amount or number d : a considerable amount or number —often used in plural <generous quantities of luck — H. E. Putsch>
2
a : the aspect in which a thing is measurable in terms of greater, less, or equal or of increasing or decreasing magnitude b : the subject of a mathematical operation c : an individual considered with respect to a given situation <an unknown quantity…as attorney general — Tom Wicker>
3
a : duration and intensity of speech sounds as distinct from their individual quality or phonemic character; specifically : the relative length or brevity of a prosodic syllable in some languages (as Greek and Latin) b : the relative duration or time length of a speech sound or sound sequence
4
: the character of a logical proposition as being universal, particular, or singular
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Origin of QUANTITY
Middle English quantite, from Anglo-French quantité, from Latin quantitat-, quantitas, from quantus how much, how large; akin to Latin quam how, as, quando when, qui who — more at who
Related to QUANTITY
- Synonyms
- abundance, barrel, basketful, boatload, bucket, bunch, bundle, bushel, carload, chunk, deal, dozen, fistful, gobs, good deal, heap, hundred, lashings (also lashins) [chiefly British], loads, mass, mess, mountain, much, multiplicity, myriad, oodles, pack, passel, peck, pile, plateful, plenitude, plentitude, plenty, pot, potful, profusion, lot, raft, reams, scads, sheaf, shipload, sight, slew, spate, stack, store, ton, truckload, volume, wad, wealth, yard
Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms
QUANTITIES Defined for Kids
quantity
noun quan·ti·ty \ˈkwän-tə-tē\
plural quan·ti·ties
Definition of QUANTITY for Kids
2
: a large number or amount <quantities of money> <We buy food in quantity.>
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