total

[ toht-l ]

adjective

1. constituting or comprising the whole; entire; whole:

   the total expenditure.

   Synonyms: complete

2. of or relating to the whole of something:

   the total effect of a play.

3. complete in extent or degree; absolute; unqualified; utter:

   a total failure.

4. involving all aspects, elements, participants, resources, etc.; unqualified; all-out:

   total war.

noun

1. the total amount; sum; aggregate:

   a total of $200.

   Synonyms: totality, gross

2. the whole; an entirety:

   the impressive total of Mozart's achievement.

   Synonyms: totality, gross

verb (used with object)

, to·taled, to·tal·ing or (especially British) to·talled, to·tal·ling.

1. to bring to a total; add up.
2. to reach a total of; amount to.
3. Slang. to wreck or demolish completely:

   He totaled his new car in the accident.

verb (used without object)

, to·taled, to·tal·ing or (especially British) to·talled, to·tal·ling.

1. to amount (often followed by to ).

total

/ ˈtəʊtəl /

noun

1. the whole, esp regarded as the complete sum of a number of parts

adjective

1. complete; absolute

   a total eclipse

   the evening was a total failure

2. prenominal being or related to a total

   the total number of passengers

verb

1. whenintr, sometimes foll by to to amount

   to total six pounds

2. tr to add up

   to total a list of prices

3. slang.
   tr to kill or badly injure (someone)
4. tr to damage (a vehicle) beyond repair

Derived Forms

• ˈtotally, adverb

Other Words From

• quasi-total adjective
• quasi-total·ly adverb
• re·total verb (used with object) retotaled retotaling or (especially British) retotalled retotalling noun
• super·total noun
• un·totaled adjective
• un·totalled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of total¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (adjective), from Medieval Latin tōtālis , equivalent to Latin tōt(us) “entire” + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of total¹

C14: from Old French, from Medieval Latin tōtālis, from Latin tōtus all

Synonym Study

See whole.

Example Sentences

He has been married three times, shares a total of seven children and stepchildren with his third wife, and once said on television that he doesn’t wash his hands because germs aren’t real.

From Slate

There were three total incidents where the suspects filed insurance claims for cars-damaged-by-bear, investigators said.

From BBC

Trump has fired back at such comments, calling Kelly a “total degenerate” in a post last month on TruthSocial.

From Los Angeles Times

Shariyf pointed out how there was only one abortion clinic in the state before the total ban went into effect.

From Salon

It said the total cost of the incident to passengers and air operators was between £75m and £100m.

From BBC

Related Words

• add
• amount to
• come to
• comprise
• consist of
• equal
• pile up
• reach
• yield