ENGLISH
REFERENCE

numeral

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //ˈnumɝəɫ// UK //njˈuːməɹəl// nu·mer·al

n. a word or symbol that represents a number. You use this to talk about the different ways we write or say numbers, like 'one' or '1'.

n. a word, phrase, or symbol that represents a number. In linguistics, it refers to the part of speech that expresses a quantity or a numerical value.


SIMPLE

The word 'five' is a numeral.

CONTEXTUAL

In many languages, the numeral 'one' changes its form depending on the gender of the noun it describes.

COMPLEX

The study of numeral systems reveals how different cultures conceptualize quantity, ranging from simple tally marks to complex positional notations like the Hindu-Arabic system.

Synonyms
Origin

As an adjective, from Middle English numeral, numerall, from Latin numerālis (“pertaining to a number”), from numerus (“a number”). As a noun, via Middle French numeral.

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