sum

¹sum

noun \ˈsəm\

Definition of SUM

1

: an indefinite or specified amount of money

2

: the whole amount : aggregate

3

: the utmost degree : summit <reached the sum of human happiness>

4

a : a summary of the chief points or thoughts : summation <the sum of this criticism follows — C. W. Hendel>

b : gist <the sum and substance of an argument>

5

a (1) : the result of adding numbers <the sum of 5 and 7 is 12> (2) : the limit of the sum of the first n terms of an infinite series as n increases indefinitely

b : numbers to be added; broadly : a problem in arithmetic

c (1) : disjunction 2 (2) : union 2d

— sum·ma·bil·i·ty \ˌsə-mə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

— sum·ma·ble \ˈsə-mə-bəl\ adjective

— in sum

: in short : briefly

Origin of SUM

Middle English summe, from Anglo-French sume, somme, from Latin summa, from feminine of summus highest; akin to Latin super over — more at over

First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with SUM

bum, chum, come, crumb, cum, drum, dumb, from, glum, gum, hum, lum, mum, numb, plum, plumb, rum, scrum, scum, slum, some, strum, them, thrum, thumb

²sum

verb

summedsum·ming

Definition of SUM

transitive verb

1

: to calculate the sum of : total

2

: summarize

intransitive verb

: to reach a sum : amount

Examples of SUM

1. <can sum figures in his head faster than I can punch them into a calculator>

First Known Use of SUM

14th century

Related to SUM

Synonyms

cast (up), foot (up), add, summate, tot (up), total, totalize, tote (up)

Related Words

calculate, cipher, compute, figure, reckon, table, tabulate, tally, work out; divide, multiply, subtract; count, enumerate, number, tell; recompute, refigure

³sum

noun \ˈsəm\

plural sums

Definition of SUM

the basic monetary unit of Uzbekistan — see money table

Origin of SUM

Uzbek so'm ruble

First Known Use: 1993