quantity

noun

quan·ti·ty | \ˈkwän-tə-tē

plural quantities

Definition of quantity

1a : an indefinite amount or number

b : a determinate or estimated amount

c : total amount or number

d : a considerable amount or number —often used in plural generous quantities of luck— H. E. Putsch

2a : the aspect in which a thing is measurable in terms of greater, less, or equal or of increasing or decreasing magnitude

b : the subject of a mathematical operation

c : an individual considered with respect to a given situation an unknown quantity … as attorney general— Tom Wicker

3a : duration and intensity of speech sounds as distinct from their individual quality or phonemic character specifically : the relative length or brevity of a prosodic syllable in some languages (such as Greek and Latin)

b : the relative duration or time length of a speech sound or sound sequence

4 : the character of a logical proposition as being universal, particular, or singular

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about quantity

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Examples of quantity in a Sentence

The wine is made in small quantities. The boss is worried about quantity as well as quality. The family buys food in quantity.

Recent Examples on the Web

Fire has had a major effect on the atmosphere over time, using oxygen and producing large quantities of CO2. — Anna Diamond, Smithsonian, "What Is the Future of Fire?," 25 May 2018 Since 2015, the aim has been to produce smaller quantities of better-quality wine in bottles, rather than bulk wine. — New York Times, "Reviving Ancient Spanish Vineyards, Building New Traditions," 24 May 2018 But the new research demonstrates that in some areas, where glaciers are producing unusually large quantities of meltwater, this mixing process isn’t happening. — Chelsea Harvey, Scientific American, "Antarctic Glaciers Are Helping Drive Their Own Melt," 20 Apr. 2018 Our Favorite Varieties While varieties vary widely in their tendency to be bitter, burp-less varieties tend to produce smaller quantities of the bitter compounds. — The Editors Of Organic Life, Good Housekeeping, "Everything You Need To Know About Growing Crisp Cucumbers," 19 May 2017 In its announcement on Monday, the NDRC said householders would be charged according to the quantity and nature of their garbage. — Michael Holtz, The Christian Science Monitor, "Beijing gets tough on trash," 5 July 2018 The limited quantity means the prized fillets are going for $30 to $35 a pound in stores. — Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle, "King salmon arrives for a short, expensive stint in Bay Area markets and restaurants," 3 May 2018 Each model is close to $1,000 off the original price, and quantities available are much higher than the Samsung options above. — Cameron Faulkner, The Verge, "This weekend’s best deals make the latest TVs and games more affordable," 7 July 2018 Bouchet’s work relies on considering the statistics of the large-scale flows, which exchange energy and other quantities in a balance with their environment. — Joshua Sokol, WIRED, "Flattened Fluids Help Scientists Understand Oceans and Atmospheres," 7 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'quantity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.