arithmetic

noun

arith·​me·​tic ə-ˈrith-mə-ˌtik 

1

a

: a branch of mathematics that deals usually with the nonnegative real numbers including sometimes the transfinite cardinals and with the application of the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to them

b

: a treatise on arithmetic

2

: computation, calculation

arithmetic

ˌer-ith-ˈme-tik 

ˌa-rith-

adjective

or arithmetical

ˌer-ith-ˈme-ti-kəl 

ˌa-rith-

arithmetically

ˌer-ith-ˈme-ti-k(ə-)lē 

ˌa-rith-

adverb

arithmetician

ə-ˌrith-mə-ˈti-shən 

noun

Synonyms

• calculation
• calculus
• ciphering
• computation
• figures
• figuring
• math
• mathematics
• number crunching
• numbers
• reckoning

Examples of arithmetic in a Sentence

a software program that will do the arithmetic for you

I haven't actually done the arithmetic yet, but I suspect we're losing money on the deal.

Recent Examples on the Web

Then again, games are still scored with numbers, so arithmetic does matter in these contests. —Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 21 Oct. 2024

For him, the moral arithmetic is simple and Israel’s treatment of the Palestinian population is fundamentally wrong. —Sean Illing, Vox, 15 Oct. 2024

Not tied to ‘arithmetic of polls’ Not surprisingly, Gallup, Crossley and Roper turned exceedingly cautious in evaluating the 1952 presidential race, maintaining as the campaign closed that either candidate could win. —W. Joseph Campbell, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2024

To me, this is a baby step toward understanding emergent properties in large language models, like suddenly being able to do arithmetic, answer questions in Greek, or things like that. —Quanta Magazine, 7 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English arsmetrik, from Anglo-French arismatike, from Latin arithmetica, from Greek arithmētikē, from feminine of arithmētikos arithmetical, from arithmein to count, from arithmos number; akin to Old English rīm number, and perhaps to Greek arariskein to fit

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing arithmetic

• arithmetic average
• arithmetic mean
• arithmetic progression
• arithmetic scale
• modular arithmetic

Kids Definition

arithmetic

noun

arith·​me·​tic ə-ˈrith-mə-ˌtik 

1

: a branch of mathematics that deals with real numbers and their addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division

2

: an act or method of computing

arithmetic

ˌar-ith-ˈmet-ik 

adjective

or arithmetical

-ˈmet-i-kəl 

arithmetically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

arithmetician

ə-ˌrith-mə-ˈtish-ən 

noun