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.

Related Words

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