infinity

in·fin·i·ty

noun \in-ˈfi-nə-tē\

plural in·fin·i·ties

Definition of INFINITY

1

a : the quality of being infinite

b : unlimited extent of time, space, or quantity : boundlessness

2

: an indefinitely great number or amount <an infinity of stars>

3

a : the limit of the value of a function or variable when it tends to become numerically larger than any preassigned finite number

b : a part of a geometric magnitude that lies beyond any part whose distance from a given reference position is finite <do parallel lines ever meet if they extend to infinity>

c : a transfinite number (as aleph-null)

4

: a distance so great that the rays of light from a point source at that distance may be regarded as parallel

Examples of INFINITY

1. The view tapers off into infinity.
2. a series of numbers that continues to infinity
3. The night sky was filled with an infinity of stars.

First Known Use of INFINITY

14th century

Related to INFINITY

Synonyms

everlasting, foreverness, eternity, perpetuity

Related Words

boundlessness, endlessness, interminableness, limitlessness, permanence, permanency, timelessness

Near Antonyms

ephemerality, impermanence, temporariness, transience, transitoriness

Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms

abscissa, denominator, divisor, equilateral, exponent, hypotenuse, logarithm, oblique, radii, rhomb

Rhymes with INFINITY

affinity, bovinity, concinnity, divinity, felinity, feminity, latinity, salinity, sanguinity, vicinity, virginity

infinity

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

In mathematics, the useful concept of a process with no end. As represented by the symbol , it is often mistakenly thought to be the largest number or a place on the real number line. Instead, it is the idea of a limit, as in the expression x , which suggests that the variable x increases without bound. For example, the function f(x) = 1/x, or the reciprocal of x, tends toward 0 as x approaches infinity as a limit. This process of approaching is crucial to the definition of the derivative and the integral in calculus, as well as to many other concepts of mathematical analysis.