decimal

adj, noun, verb — 7 senses

decimal

adj

UK /ˈdɛs.ɪ.məɫ/ · US /ˈdɛs.ɪ.məl/

Etymology Borrowed from Late Latin, Medieval Latin decimalis, from Latin decimus, from decem (“ten”) + adjective suffix -alis.

1

Arithmetic, Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences Concerning numbers expressed in decimal or mathematical calculations performed using decimal.

Synonyms
base-ten, denary
Derived terms
decimal comma, decimal mark, decimal reduction time, decimal time

decimal

noun

Etymology Borrowed from Late Latin, Medieval Latin decimalis, from Latin decimus, from decem (“ten”) + adjective suffix -alis.

1

A number expressed in the base-ten system, (particularly) a fractional numeral written in this system.

  • What is ⁷⁄₂₃ as a decimal?
2

Informal The decimal system itself.

3

Informal A decimal place.

  • Pi has a value of 3.142, to three decimals.
4

Informal A decimal point.

5

Alternative Alternative spelling of dismil.

Synonyms
decimal number, decimal system, decimal place
Antonyms
fraction
Related terms
decim, decimate
Hyponyms
binary-coded decimal

decimal

verb

Etymology Borrowed from Late Latin, Medieval Latin decimalis, from Latin decimus, from decem (“ten”) + adjective suffix -alis.

1

To represent with numbers after a decimal point.

  • Single- decimaled entries, often originating in Whiting (Wh) or Wilson (OW; see p. 23, fn.3), are from SPL. To save space, examples cited in SPL are normally not repeated (examples therefore begin with "Add:"). Double- decimaled entries, again often based on Wh or OW, are "new."1984, Robert William Dent, Proverbial Language in English Drama Exclusive of Shakespeare, 1495-1616: An Index:
  • simplified, substantively interpretable versions of the optimal (but many-decimaled) linear combinations of your original variables2001, Richard J. Harris, A Primer of Multivariate Statistics, page 54:
1 more example
  • So naturally, 3/14 – the 14th of March – is celebrated as “Pi Day.” And since 3.14 is the beginning, not the end of Pi – it can be decimaled on out to infinity – and since the next two numbers are 1 and 5 voila! today’s date 3/14/15 is really special.2015, Brad Knickerbocker, It’s Pi Day! Let’s have some pie., Christian Science Monitor:
Derived terms
31 termsbinary decimal, decimal arithmetic, decimal candle, decimal dozen, decimaled, decimal fraction, decimalic, decimalise, decimalism, decimalist, decimalite, decimalization, decimalize, decimally, decimal without a zero, dotted decimal, hexatrigesimal, heximal, negadecimal, nondecimal, packed decimal, pentadecimal, postdecimal, pre-decimal, repeating decimal, sedecimal, septendecimal, sexadecimal, subdecimal, tetradecimal, tridecimal
Related terms
base, binary, octal, undecimal, duodecimal, hexadecimal, vigesimal, sexagesimal, transdecimal

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.