integer

American  

[in-ti-jer] / ˈɪn tɪ dʒər /

noun

1. Mathematics. one of the positive or negative numbers 1, 2, 3, etc., or zero.

2. a complete entity.

   Synonyms:

   whole, integral

   Antonyms:

   portion, fraction

---

integer British  

/ ˈɪntɪdʒə /

noun

1. any rational number that can be expressed as the sum or difference of a finite number of units, being a member of the set …–3, –2, –1, 0, 1, 2, 3…

2. an individual entity or whole unit

---

integer Scientific  

/ ĭn′tĭ-jər /

1. A positive or negative whole number or zero. The numbers 4, −876, and 5,280 are all integers.

---

Other Word Forms

• noninteger noun

Etymology

Origin of integer

First recorded in 1500–10; from Latin: “untouched, undivided, whole, fresh,” equivalent to in- negative prefix + -teg- (combining form of tag-, root of tangere “to touch”) + -er adjective suffix; in- ³

Compare meaning

How does integer compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• whole number vs. integer

Explanation

Integer is a math term for a number that is a whole number. In the equation 2 + 1/2, the number 2 is the integer and 1/2 is the fraction. Integer comes from a 16th century Latin word meaning "whole" or "intact." For a number to be considered an integer, it must be whole — no fractions or decimals here. An integer can be positive or negative. The numbers 0, 1, 2, -1, and -2 are all examples of integers.

Example Sentences

Accordingly, in the White House video, a +100 integer flashes on-screen when a mortar shell connects with its target, as if the president himself were landing trick shots on his Twitch stream.

From Slate • Mar. 6, 2026

Just as they had in their original 2017 study, the researchers found that in every group they tested, people tended to be biased toward simple integer ratios of rhythm.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2024

When they charted integer ratios from birdsong and human music, the plots all produced a similar shape resembling a long-stemmed flower.

From New York Times • Jun. 6, 2023

In this case, each doll is an integer added to a fraction whose denominator is the next smallest figurine in the sequence.

From Scientific American • Jun. 2, 2023

In quantum mechanics, the forces or interactions between matter particles are all supposed to be carried by particles of integer spin—0, 1, or 2.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking

Related Words

• amount
• character
• cost
• number
• price
• rate
• sum
• symbol
• total