infinity

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Mathematics Technical

n. a number or value that is larger than any other number you can think of.

n. a mathematical concept representing a quantity larger than any finite number, often treated as a limit.

“In math class, we learned that some sequences of numbers go toward infinity.”

“The function approaches infinity as the value of x nears zero from the positive side.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Mathematics Technical

n. the mathematical symbol (∞) that looks like a sideways number eight.

n. the typographic or mathematical character ∞ used to represent an infinite quantity.

“The professor wrote the symbol for infinity on the chalkboard.”

“The lemniscate, commonly known as the infinity symbol, was first introduced in a mathematical context during the seventeenth century.”

C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Science Technical

n. a distance that is so far away that light rays from it arrive in straight, parallel lines.

n. a distance that is effectively infinite relative to the focal length of an optical system.

“When the camera lens is set to infinity, distant mountains will be in focus.”

“For the purposes of this experiment, any light source placed more than ten metres away can be considered to be at infinity.”