Arabic numeral

or Arabic figure

noun

1. one of the characters 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, in general European use since the 12th century.

Arabic numeral

noun

1. one of the symbols 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 (opposed to Roman numerals )

Arabic numeral

/ ăr′ə-bĭk /

1. One of the numerical symbols 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 0. They are called Arabic numerals because they were introduced into western Europe from sources of Arabic scholarship.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Arabic numeral¹

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

The shift from Roman to Arabic numeral in the title suggests the revival’s relaxed, contemporary tone.

From Los Angeles Times

“If we went to a math textbook creator and said, ‘Hey, can you build us a textbook but convert the Arabic numerals into Kaktovik numerals?’ it would be that much easier,” Judkins says.

From Scientific American

Critics called the initiative an attempt to intimidate teachers and suggested flooding the tip line with tongue-in-cheek complaints, such as the sarcastically dire warning that Virginia schools were teaching “Arabic numerals.”

From Washington Post

Though the Arabs took the notation from India, the rest of the world would dub the new system Arabic numerals.

From Literature

So too are the Arabic numerals we take for granted.

From Literature