mathematics
Americannoun
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(used with a singular verb) the systematic treatment of magnitude, relationships between figures and forms, and relations between quantities expressed symbolically.
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(used with a singular or plural verb) mathematical procedures, operations, or properties.
noun
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(functioning as singular) a group of related sciences, including algebra, geometry, and calculus, concerned with the study of number, quantity, shape, and space and their interrelationships by using a specialized notation
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(functioning as singular or plural) mathematical operations and processes involved in the solution of a problem or study of some scientific field
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of mathematics
1350–1400; Middle English mathematic < Latin mathēmatica ( ars ) < Greek mathēmatikḕ ( téchnē ) scientific (craft), equivalent to mathēmat- (stem of máthēma ) science, knowledge + -ikē, feminine of -ikos -ic; see -ics
Explanation
Mathematics is the long word for "math," or the science of numbers and shapes and what they mean. Most people need mathematics everyday to count and measure. Mathematics is technically a plural noun — mathematics include geometry, algebra, and calculus. But in the U.S., the word is usually treated as a singular concept: That's why someone says that mathematics is their favorite subject, not mathematics are their favorite subjects. The word mathematics comes from the Greek word manthanein, meaning "to learn."
Vocabulary lists containing mathematics
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Jaden Martin, a 22-year-old who works in marketing and hails from the southwestern state of Arizona, told AFP he was visiting the capital to accompany his girlfriend who was attending a mathematics conference.
From Barron's • Jul. 1, 2026
Martin Leibowitz, a pioneer in applying mathematics to bond investing, died May 6 at age 89, leaving a legacy of insights and formulas.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026
But here’s what excites me most about the brave new world of mathematics the A.I. industry has us careening toward: We will have a much sharper sense of what the truly difficult problems are.
From Slate • Jun. 22, 2026
Alexander had long noticed similarities between CSK theory and the mathematics of the quantum Hall effect.
From Science Daily • Jun. 19, 2026
The Egyptian civilization’s lack of zero was bad for the calendar and bad for the future of Western mathematics.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
