mantissa

noun

man·​tis·​sa man-ˈti-sə How to pronounce mantissa (audio)
: the part of a logarithm to the right of the decimal point

Examples of mantissa in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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This format represents numbers using some of the bits for the exponent, some for the mantissa, and one for the sign. IEEE Spectrum, 14 Mar. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Latin mantisa, mantissa makeweight, from Etruscan

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mantissa was in 1846

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Cite this Entry

“Mantissa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mantissa. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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