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infinite - 8 dictionary results
in⋅fi⋅nite
[in-fuh-nit] 
fə
–adjective
| 1. | immeasurably great: an infinite capacity for forgiveness. |
| 2. | indefinitely or exceedingly great: infinite sums of money. |
| 3. | unlimited or unmeasurable in extent of space, duration of time, etc.: the infinite nature of outer space. |
| 4. | unbounded or unlimited; boundless; endless: God's infinite mercy. |
| 5. | Mathematics.
|
–noun
| 6. | something that is infinite. |
| 7. | Mathematics. an infinite quantity or magnitude. |
| 8. | the boundless regions of space. |
| 9. | the Infinite or the Infinite Being, God. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To infinite
| in·fi·nite (ĭn'fə-nĭt) adj.
[Middle English infinit, from Old French, from Latin īnfīnītus : in-, not; see in-1 + fīnītus, finite, from past participle of fīnīre, to limit; see finite.] in'fi·nite·ly adv., in'fi·nite·ness n. Synonyms: These adjectives mean being without beginning or end: infinite wisdom; boundless ambition; eternal beauty; illimitable space; sempiternal truth. See Also Synonyms at incalculable. Usage Note: Infinite is sometimes grouped with absolute terms such as unique, absolute, and omnipotent, since in its strict mathematical sense infiniteness is an absolute property; some infinite sets are smaller than others, but they are no less infinite. In nontechnical usage, of course, infinite is often used to refer to an unimaginably large degree or amount, and in these cases it is acceptable to modify or compare the word: Nothing could give me more infinite pleasure than to see you win. Withdrawing the troops would create an even more infinite set of problems for the coalition. · Note that unlike other incomparable adjectives, infinite when used in its strict literal sense cannot be modified by words like nearly, since quantities do not approach infinity by degrees. This constraint, too, can be ignored when the word is used simply to refer to a very large number: You need a nearly infinite amount of patience to do the job. See Usage Notes at absolute, unique. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Infinite
In"fi*nite\, a. [L. infinitus: cf. F. infini. See In- not, and Finite.]1. Unlimited or boundless, in time or space; as, infinite duration or distance. Whatever is finite, as finite, will admit of no comparative relation with infinity; for whatever is less than infinite is still infinitely distant from infinity; and lower than infinite distance the lowest or least can not sink. --H. Brooke. 2. Without limit in power, capacity, knowledge, or excellence; boundless; immeasurably or inconceivably great; perfect; as, the infinite wisdom and goodness of God; -- opposed to finite. Great is our Lord, and of great power; his understanding is infinite. --Ps. cxlvii. 5. O God, how infinite thou art! --I. Watts. 3. Indefinitely large or extensive; great; vast; immense; gigantic; prodigious. Infinite riches in a little room. --Marlowe. Which infinite calamity shall cause To human life. --Milton. 4. (Math.) Greater than any assignable quantity of the same kind; -- said of certain quantities. 5. (Mus.) Capable of endless repetition; -- said of certain forms of the canon, called also perpetual fugues, so constructed that their ends lead to their beginnings, and the performance may be incessantly repeated. --Moore (Encyc. of Music). Syn: Boundless; immeasurable; illimitable; interminable; limitless; unlimited; endless; eternal.Infinite
In"fi*nite\, n. 1. That which is infinite; boundless space or duration; infinity; boundlessness. Not till the weight is heaved from off the air, and the thunders roll down the horizon, will the serene light of God flow upon us, and the blue infinite embrace us again. --J. Martineau. 2. (Math.) An infinite quantity or magnitude. 3. An infinity; an incalculable or very great number. Glittering chains, embroidered richly o'er With infinite of pearls and finest gold. --Fanshawe. 4. The Infinite Being; God; the Almighty.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : infinite
Spanish:
infinito,
German:
unendlich,
Japanese:
無限の
infinite
adj. [common] Consisting of a large number of objects; extreme. Used very loosely as in: "This program produces infinite garbage." "He is an infinite loser." The word most likely to follow `infinite', though, is hair. (It has been pointed out that fractals are an excellent example of infinite hair.) These uses are abuses of the word's mathematical meaning. The term `semi-infinite', denoting an immoderately large amount of some resource, is also heard. "This compiler is taking a semi-infinite amount of time to optimize my program." See also semi.
Jargon File 4.2.0
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infinite
c.1385, from L. infinitus "unbounded, unlimited," from in- "not" + finitus "defining, definite," from finis "end."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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infinite (ĭn'fə-nĭt) Pronunciation Key
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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infinite mathematics
1. Bigger than any natural number. There are various formal set definitions in set theory: a set X is infinite if
(i) There is a bijection between X and a proper subset of X.
(ii) There is an injection from the set N of natural numbers to X.
(iii) There is an injection from each natural number n to X.
These definitions are not necessarily equivalent unless we accept the Axiom of Choice.
2. The length of a line extended indefinitely.
See also infinite loop, infinite set.
[The Jargon File]
(1995-03-29)
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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