count

1 of 3

verb

ˈkau̇nt 

 dialectal  ˈkyau̇nt

counted; counting; counts

transitive verb

1

a

: to indicate or name by units or groups so as to find the total number of units involved : number

Count the pages of the manuscript.

b

: to name the numbers in order up to and including

Count ten.

c

: to include in a tallying and reckoning

about 100 present, counting children

d

: to call aloud (beats or time units)

Count cadence.

Count the eighth notes.

2

a

: consider, account

count oneself lucky

b

: to record as of an opinion or persuasion

Count me as uncommitted.

3

: to include or exclude by or as if by counting

Count me in.

intransitive verb

1

a

: to recite or indicate the numbers in order by units or groups

count by fives

b

: to count the units in a group

She was interrupted while she was counting.

2

: to rely or depend on someone or something

—used with on

He counted on his parents to help with the expenses.

3

: add, total

It counts up to a sizable amount.

4

a

: to have value or significance

These are the people who really count.

His opinions don't count for much.

b

: to deserve to be regarded or considered

a job so easy it hardly counts as work

see also count out

count

2 of 3

noun (1)

plural counts

1

a

: the action or process of counting

b

: a total obtained by counting : tally

2

archaic

a

: reckoning, account

b

: consideration, estimation

3

a

: allegation, charge

specifically : one separately stating the cause of action or prosecution in a legal declaration or indictment

guilty on all counts

b

: a specific point under consideration : issue

disagreeing on this count

4

: the total number of individual things in a given unit or sample obtained by counting all or a subsample of them

bacteria count

5

a

: the calling off of the seconds from one to ten when a boxer has been knocked down

He took a count of nine before getting up.

see also down for the count, take the count

b

: the number of balls and strikes charged to a baseball batter during one turn

The count stood at 3 and 2.

c

: score

tied the count with a minute to play

6

a

: a measurement of the thickness or fineness of yarn by determining the number of hanks or yards per pound it produces

b

: the number of threads per square inch in a cloth

count

3 of 3

noun (2)

: a European nobleman whose rank corresponds to that of a British earl

Phrases

and counting

: with more to come

in business for 50 years and counting

count heads or count noses

: to count the number present

count on

: to look forward to as certain : anticipate

counted on winning

Synonyms

Verb

• enumerate
• number
• tell

Noun (1)

• census
• tale
• tally

Examples of count in a Sentence

Verb

Count the plates on the table.

She made sure to count her change.

Count how many fingers I am holding up.

He counted seven deer in the field.

There are 10 days left until the end of school, counting from today.

Keep counting until there are no more left to count.

Don't interrupt me. I'm counting.

Can your daughter count yet?

There will be 150 people at the wedding, not counting children.

Noun (1)

my count for the number of bird species and subspecies that visited the sanctuary that weekend was 43

she's been charged with two counts of larceny

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Ballots that had that candidate ranked at the top will then have their votes counted toward their next preferred candidate. —Rebecca Schneid, Time, 25 June 2025

With more than 81% of ballots counted, unofficial returns from the city Board of Elections showed Mamdani holding a roughly 8% lead over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has generally polled as the primary’s front-runner. —Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 25 June 2025

Noun

The indictment, announced earlier this month, accuses McIver of three counts: two felonies for assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers—each carrying up to eight years in prison—and a misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of one year. —Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025

The rapper has pleaded not guilty to the five counts against him. —Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 25 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French cunter, counter, from Latin computare, from com- + putare to consider

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French cunte, from Late Latin comit-, comes, from Latin, companion, one of the imperial court, from com- + ire to go — more at issue entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing count

• at the count of
• blood count
• body count
• by the count of
• count calories
• count noun
• count off
• count off (something)
• count one's blessings
• count one's chickens (before they hatch)
• count one's chickens before they're hatched
• count out
• count palatine
• count (someone) in
• count the cost
• count the hours
• count toward/towards
• did a head count
• down for the count
• for a count of
• full count
• head count
• high-count
• keep count
• lose count
• out for the count
• point count
• pollen count
• sperm count
• take the count
• the count
• too many to count

Rhymes for count

• fount
• mount
• account
• amount
• discount
• dismount
• recount
• remount
• seamount
• surmount
• rediscount
• subaccount

Kids Definition

count

1 of 3 verb

ˈkau̇nt 

1

a

: to add one by one so as to find the total number of a group of things

count the apples in a box

b

: to name the consecutive numbers up to and including

count ten

c

: to recite the numbers one by one or by groups

count to one hundred by fives

d

: to include in a tally

forty present, counting children

2

a

: consider sense 3

count myself lucky

b

: to include or leave out by or as if by counting

count me in

count me out

3

a

: to have value or importance

every vote counts

b

: to deserve to be regarded or considered

a job so easy it hardly counts as work

countable

-ə-bəl

adjective

count

2 of 3 noun

1

a

: the act or process of counting

b

: a total obtained by counting : tally

2

: a charge of wrongdoing

especially : a separate item in a legal accusation

guilty on all counts

3

: the number of balls and strikes charged to a baseball batter during one turn

count

3 of 3 noun

: a European nobleman whose rank is equal to that of a British earl

Etymology

Verb

Middle English counten "to add one by one," from early French counter (same meaning), derived from Latin computare "to count, compute" — related to account, compute

Noun

from early French cunte "nobleman," derived from Latin comes "companion, member of a royal court," literally, "one who goes with another," from com- "with" and -es, a form of ire "to go" — related to county, itinerary

Medical Definition

count

1 of 2 transitive verb

ˈkau̇nt 

: to indicate or name by units or groups so as to find the total number of units involved

count

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: the action or process of counting

b

: a total obtained by counting

2

: the total number of individual things in a given unit or sample (as of blood) obtained by counting all or a subsample of them see addis count, blood count, cell count, red blood count, white count

Legal Definition

count

noun

: charge

specifically : a charge (as in a complaint or indictment) that separately states a cause of action or especially offense

guilty on all counts