# number

/ˈnəmbɝ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/number
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. quantity or numeral

noun · CEFR A1

a word or symbol used to count or measure how many of something there are.

For teachers: an abstract mathematical entity or numeral used to describe quantity or position in a sequence.

- The teacher asked the children to write the number five on their papers.
- The researcher noted that the number of participants had doubled since the initial phase of the study.

### 2. identification

noun · CEFR A1

a series of digits used to identify a specific person, place, or thing.

For teachers: a sequence of digits assigned to an individual or object for the purpose of registration or identification.

- Can I have your phone number so I can call you later?
- The clerk requested my passport number and a secondary form of identification to process the application.

### 3. performance

noun · CEFR B1

a single song or dance in a larger show.

For teachers: a distinct musical or theatrical routine performed as part of a larger production or concert.

- The final dance number was the most exciting part of the musical.
- The soprano performed a challenging solo number that showcased her impressive vocal range and technical control.

### 4. grammar

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the form of a word that shows if it is singular or plural.

For teachers: a grammatical category that distinguishes between singular, plural, and sometimes dual forms of nouns or verbs.

- In English, we change the number of a noun by adding an 's' for plural.
- The student struggled with subject-verb agreement, particularly when the grammatical number of the collective noun was ambiguous.

### 5. stylish item

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a piece of clothing that looks very good on someone.

For teachers: an item of clothing, typically a dress or outfit, regarded as stylish or attractive.

- She wore a little black number to the party and looked fantastic.
- She arrived at the gala wearing a vintage silk number that immediately became the talk of the evening.

### 6. to total

verb · CEFR B1

to reach a certain total or amount.

For teachers: to amount to a specified quantity or total. Often used as a linking verb.

- The protesters numbered in the thousands by the end of the day.
- The rare birds now number fewer than fifty in the wild, prompting urgent conservation efforts.

### 7. to assign numbers

verb · CEFR B1

to give a number to each item in a group.

For teachers: to mark or label items with a sequence of numbers for identification or organization.

- Please number the pages of your essay before you hand it in.
- The archivist carefully numbered each photograph in the collection to ensure they could be easily referenced later.

### 8. to include in a group

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to consider someone or something as part of a specific group.

For teachers: to include or classify someone or something within a particular category or group.

- I am proud to number him among my closest friends.
- The historian is numbered among the most influential thinkers of the twentieth century due to her groundbreaking research.

## Examples

- The number of students in the class is twenty.
- Please leave your phone number on the form so we can contact you about the delivery.
- The sheer number of variables involved in the experiment made it difficult for the researchers to isolate a single cause for the observed reaction.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.