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sum definition

sum (sum; for n. 6 so̵̅o̅m)

noun

  1. an amount of money a sum paid in reparation
  2. the whole amount; totality; aggregate the sum of our experience
  3. the gist or a summary of something said, done, etc.: usually in sum and substance
    1. the result obtained by adding numbers or quantities; total
    2. Old-fashioned a series of numbers to be added together, or any problem in arithmetic
    3. the limit of the sum of the first n terms of an infinite series as n grows indefinitely
    4. the set containing every element belonging to one or both of two original sets and no other elements
    5. in Boolean algebra, disjunction (sense )
  5. Archaic the highest degree; height; summit
  6. pl. sum

    Etymology: Uzbek sŭm

    the basic monetary unit of Uzbekistan

Etymology: ME somme < MFr < L summa, fem. of summus, highest, superl. < base of super: see super-

transitive verb summed, summing sum′·ming

  1. to determine the sum of by adding
  2. to summarize or review briefly; sum up

intransitive verb

to get, or come to, a total
sum Idioms

in sum

to put it briefly; in short

sum up

  1. to add up or collect into a whole or total
  2. to review briefly; summarize

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

sum Synonyms

sum

n.

amount, total, quantity, sum total, aggregate, gross, tally, whole, entirety; see also whole.

sum refers to the number or amount obtained by adding individual units the sum of 3 and 5 is 8; amount applies to the result obtained by combining all the sums, quantities, measures, etc. that are involved we paid the full amount of the damages; aggregate refers to the whole group or mass of individual items gathered together the aggregate of our experiences; total stresses the wholeness or inclusiveness of a sum or amount the collection reached a total of $200


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

sum Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • invest: For many years schools in the northern hemisphere have invested large sums in ICT suites.

Adjective modifier

  • substantial: The re-organisation of local government will cost substantial sums.

Preposition: of

  • money: Paying players large sums of money at club level is not the way to go forward.

Noun used with modifier

  • cash: Use a low interest credit card to finance small cash sums.

Preposition: of

  • shilling: It is reputed that the sum of ten shillings per night was paid for this privilege.

Noun used with modifier

  • lump: The simplest is a lump sum payment of the value of the policy.
sum usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

sum quotes

The community is a fictitious body, composed of the individual personswhoare considered asconstituting as it were its members.The interest of the community then, Bentley is what? The sum of the interests of the several members who compose it.

-Bentham,Jeremy

   Was there ever in anyone's life span a point free in time, devoid of memory, a night when choice was any more than the sum of all the choices gone before?

-Didion,Joan

   There are many people who reach their conclusions about life like schoolboys; they cheat their master by copying the answer out of a book without having worked out the sum for themselves.

-Kierkegaard, So«  ren Aabye

sum quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"sum." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
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sum. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/sum

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