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prime number
noun
: any integer other than 0 or ± 1 that is not divisible without remainder by any other integers except ± 1 and ± the integer itself
Examples of prime number in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Prime Target follows Woodall’s Edward Brooks, a math genius (hence the reference to prime numbers) on the brink of a major breakthrough who senses someone may be trying to thwart his discovery.
—Lucy Ford, TIME, 20 Dec. 2024
The work not only broke the previous record, which had stood for 80 years, but led to new results about the distribution of prime numbers.
—Jordana Cepelewicz, Quanta Magazine, 16 Dec. 2024
To make a public key, start with two large prime numbers.
—John Pavlus, WIRED, 15 Dec. 2024
For one thing, current math benchmarks are mostly pitched to high school or undergraduate-level math—a far cry from research-level math, which often tackles notorious problems unsolved for centuries, such as the distribution of prime numbers.
—Byzack Savitsky, science.org, 3 Dec. 2024
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Word History
Etymology
translation of Late Latin prīmus numerus, translation of Greek prôtos arithmós
First Known Use
1570, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near prime number
Cite this Entry
“Prime number.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prime%20number. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.
Kids Definition
prime number
noun
: a whole number other than 0 or ±1 that is not divisible without a remainder by any other whole numbers except ±1 and ± itself
More from Merriam-Webster on prime number
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about prime number
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