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infinity

 - 4 dictionary results

in⋅fin⋅i⋅ty

[in-fin-i-tee]
–noun, plural -ties.
1. the quality or state of being infinite.
2. something that is infinite.
3. infinite space, time, or quantity.
4. an infinite extent, amount, or number.
5. an indefinitely great amount or number.
6. Mathematics.
a. the assumed limit of a sequence, series, etc., that increases without bound.
b. infinite distance or an infinitely distant part of space.
7. Photography.
a. a distance between a subject and the camera so great that rays of light reflected from the subject may be regarded as parallel.
b. a distance setting of the camera lens beyond which everything is in focus.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME infinite < L infīnitās, equiv. to in- in- 3 + fīni(s) boundary (see finish ) + -tās -ty 2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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in·fin·i·ty   (ĭn-fĭn'ĭ-tē)   
n.   pl. in·fin·i·ties
  1. The quality or condition of being infinite.

  2. Unbounded space, time, or quantity.

  3. An indefinitely large number or amount.

  4. Mathematics The limit that a function ƒ is said to approach at x = a when ƒ(x) is larger than any preassigned number for all x sufficiently near a.

    1. A range in relation to an optical system, such as a camera lens, representing distances great enough that light rays reflected from objects within the range may be regarded as parallel.

    2. A distance setting, as on a camera, beyond which the entire field is in focus.

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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Word Origin & History

infinity 
c.1374, from O.Fr. infinité, from L. infinitatem (nom. infinitas) "boundlessness," from infinitus boundless, unlimited" (see infinite). Infinitas used as a loan-transl. of Gk. apeiria "infinity," from apeiros "endless."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Computing Dictionary

infinity
1. The size of something infinite.
Using the word in the context of sets is sloppy, since different infinite sets aren't necessarily the same size cardinality as each other.
See also aleph 0
2. The largest value that can be represented in a particular type of variable (register, memory location, data type, whatever).
See also minus infinity.
[The Jargon File]
(1994-11-18)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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