countable

adjective

count·​able ˈkau̇n-tə-bəl How to pronounce countable (audio)
: capable of being counted
especially : capable of being put into one-to-one correspondence with the positive integers
a countable set
countability noun
countably adverb

Examples of countable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And since mathematicians already knew the family of countable graphs was Borel complete — that is, maximally complicated with respect to isomorphism — this meant the family of countable TFABs must also be Borel complete. Quanta Magazine, 10 Aug. 2021 This measure will give the state more control over spending and provide new money for actual countable facilities that will give the system a footprint. Alison Monroe, The Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2024 As a penalty, Colorado’s countable athletic activities were reduced by 30 minutes at the first opportunity and rules education on voluntary activities and social media was provided to the football staff, according to the school’s report. USA TODAY, 26 Jan. 2024 Those figures included Allen’s 10 countable assistants, though not Aaron Wellman, his head of strength and conditioning. Zach Osterman, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Jan. 2024 As reader David Gold (a fewer/less connoisseur) points out, fewer is correctly used for integer values, i.e., countable things. WSJ, 27 Nov. 2023 And Philip Bump adds a useful piece noting that many race calls take 12 hours or more — in contrast to the Trump allies who misleadingly argue that all votes should be countable (and counted) on election night, or even that such a thing is somehow suspect. Aaron Blake, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Nov. 2022 The products were physical objects and thus countable. Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2023 For example, a single individual with a maximum monthly countable income of $1,859 and a family of four with $3,574 would both be eligible. Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'countable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of countable was in 1581

Dictionary Entries Near countable

Cite this Entry

“Countable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/countable. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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