quantity

[kwon-ti-tee]

noun

plural

quantities 

1. a particular or indefinite amount of anything.

   a small quantity of milk;

   the ocean's vast quantity of fish.

2. an exact or specified amount or measure.

   Mix the ingredients in the quantities called for.

3. a considerable or great amount.

   to extract ore in quantity.

4. Mathematics.

   1. the property of magnitude involving comparability with other magnitudes.

   2. something having magnitude, or size, extent, amount, or the like.

   3. magnitude, size, volume, area, or length.

5. Music.,  the length or duration of a note.

6. Logic.,  the character of a proposition as singular, universal, particular, or mixed, according to the presence or absence of certain kinds of quantifiers.

7. that amount, degree, etc., in terms of which another is greater or lesser.

8. Prosody, Phonetics.,  the relative duration or length of a sound or a syllable, with respect to the time spent in pronouncing it; length.

9. Law.,  the nature of an estate as affected by its duration in time.

quantity

/ ˈkwɒntɪtɪ /

noun

1. 1. a specified or definite amount, weight, number, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a quantity estimate

2. the aspect or property of anything that can be measured, weighed, counted, etc

3. a large or considerable amount

4. maths an entity having a magnitude that may be denoted by a numerical expression

5. physics a specified magnitude or amount; the product of a number and a unit

6. logic the characteristic of a proposition dependent on whether it is a universal or particular statement, considering all or only part of a class

7. prosody the relative duration of a syllable or the vowel in it

quantity

1. Something, such as a number or symbol that represents a number, on which a mathematical operation is performed.

Usage

The use of a plural noun after quantity of as in a large quantity of bananas was formerly considered incorrect, but is now acceptable

Word History and Origins

Origin of quantity¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English quantite, from Old French, from Latin quantitās, from quant(us) “how much” + -itās -ity

Word History and Origins

Origin of quantity¹

C14: from Old French quantité, from Latin quantitās extent, amount, from quantus how much

Idioms and Phrases

see unknown quantity.

Example Sentences

The UK government says Thailand has strict laws against drug use, possession and trafficking and having even small quantities can lead to heavy fines and jail time.

From BBC

She works alongside quantity surveyor Jack Little, who combined an apprenticeship with a degree at the University of South Wales and now "luckily" works five minutes from his house.

From BBC

"It makes you blur the lines between music creativity and content - quantity over quality."

From BBC

The nine-team PWR attracts talent from around the globe, creating a quality and quantity of rugby unrivalled in any other domestic competition and a production line of future Red Roses.

From BBC

The research team measured the amount of ethanol, or pure alcohol, in fruits such as figs and plums eaten in large quantities by wild chimps in Côte d'Ivoire and Uganda.

From BBC

Related Words

• abundance 
• batch 
• bulk 
• capacity 
• length 
• load 
• pile 
• portion 
• quota 
• size 
• sum 
• variety 
• volume