sum
the aggregate of two or more numbers, magnitudes, quantities, or particulars as determined by or as if by the mathematical process of addition: The sum of 6 and 8 is 14.
a particular aggregate or total, especially with reference to money: The expenses came to an enormous sum.
an indefinite amount or quantity, especially of money: to lend small sums.
a series of numbers or quantities to be added up.
an arithmetical problem to be solved, or such a problem worked out and having the various steps shown.
the full amount, or the whole.
the substance or gist of a matter, comprehensively or broadly viewed or expressed: the sum of his opinions.
concise or brief form: in sum.
Mathematics.
the limit of the sequence of partial sums of a given infinite series.
a summary.
to combine into an aggregate or total (often followed by up).
to ascertain the sum of, as by addition.
to bring into or contain in a small compass (often followed by up).
to amount (usually followed by to or into): Their expenses summed into the thousands.
sum up,
to reckon: We summed up our assets and liabilities.
to bring into or contain in a brief and comprehensive statement; summarize: to sum up the case for the prosecution.
to form a quick estimate of: I summed him up in a minute.
Origin of sum
1synonym study For sum
Other words from sum
- sumless, adjective
- sum·less·ness, noun
- outsum, verb (used with object), out·summed, out·sum·ming.
Words that may be confused with sum
- some, sum
Other definitions for SUM (2 of 3)
surface-to-underwater missile.
Other definitions for sum- (3 of 3)
variant of sub- before m: summon.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use sum in a sentence
Is it True that “Gays vs. Traditionalists are a Zero-sum Game”?
Do LGBTs Owe Christians an Olive Branch? Try The Other Way Around | Jay Michaelson | December 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWillima and Kate raised a similar sum at a private dinner for just 30 philanthropists on Sunday night.
Kate and William's Glamorous $2m New York Send Off | Tom Sykes | December 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTOn the other hand, they are viewing their donors, and their future children, not as whole people but as the sum of certain parts.
Have Sperm, Will Travel: The ‘Natural Inseminators’ Helping Women Avoid the Sperm Bank | Elizabeth Picciuto | November 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut when it comes to the value of antiquities for human history, the sum of the parts is not greater than the whole.
Dismembering History: The Shady Online Trade in Ancient Texts | Candida Moss | November 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTShe later sued him alleging a vicious cycle of abuse, and he settled with his ex-wife out of court for an undisclosed sum.
It was such a magnificent sum that Sol did not feel like taking the familiarity with it of mentioning it aloud.
The Bondboy | George W. (George Washington) OgdenOf which the sum is that all the parties to the case are evidently, for the time being, Protestants!
I've tried to teach lots of folks; an' sum learns quick, an' some don't never learn; it's jest 's 't strikes 'em.
Ramona | Helen Hunt JacksonThe King now increased it to the enormous sum of two shilling and ten pence.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.With that sum, twice as much infantry could be maintained as that which your Majesty has here.
British Dictionary definitions for sum (1 of 2)
/ (sʌm) /
the result of the addition of numbers, quantities, objects, etc
the cardinality of the union of disjoint sets whose cardinalities are the given numbers
one or more columns or rows of numbers to be added, subtracted, multiplied, or divided
maths the limit of a series of sums of the first n terms of a converging infinite series as n tends to infinity
(plural) another name for number work
a quantity, esp of money: he borrows enormous sums
the essence or gist of a matter (esp in the phrases in sum, in sum and substance)
a less common word for summary
archaic the summit or maximum
(modifier) complete or final (esp in the phrase sum total)
(often foll by up) to add or form a total of (something)
(tr) to calculate the sum of (the terms in a sequence)
Origin of sum
1- See also sum up
British Dictionary definitions for sum (2 of 2)
/ (sʊm) /
the standard monetary unit of Uzbekistan, divided into 100 tiyin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for sum
[ sŭm ]
The result of adding numbers or quantities. The sum of 6 and 9, for example, is 15, and the sum of 4x and 5x is 9x.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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