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

Word History

Etymology

translation of Late Latin prīmus numerus, translation of Greek prôtos arithmós

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined above

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