addition

noun

ad·​di·​tion ə-ˈdi-shən How to pronounce addition (audio)
a-
1
: a part added (as to a building or residential section)
The addition expanded the kitchen.
2
: anything or anyone added : increase
The clerk was a recent addition to the staff.
3
: the act or process of adding
a recipe enhanced by the addition of freshly ground pepper
especially : the operation of combining numbers so as to obtain an equivalent simple quantity
schoolchildren learning about addition and subtraction
4
: direct chemical combination of substances into a single product
Phrases
in addition
: besides entry 2, also
The job requires a college degree and, in addition, at least two years of experience.
in addition to
: combined or associated with : besides entry 1 sense 2
In addition to soup, several salads were served.

Examples of addition in a Sentence

The children learned addition and subtraction. The museum's collection includes several new additions.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In addition to the spread, total and moneyline markets, a bet on the method of victory or number of rounds will also qualify for this promo. Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 July 2025 In addition to the elevated dining, first class passengers on Acela are also treated to other perks, like access to station lounges, including the Metropolitan Lounge at New York's Moynihan Train Hall, which features large glass windows, contemporary flooring, Wi-Fi, and snacks. Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2025 That means Superman only has a few days left to itself before facing direct competition, in addition to losing Imax screens and other premium-large format auditoriums to Fantastic Four, which is tracking to open to $100 million to $110 million domestically. Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 20 July 2025 Enterprise's data suggests Americans — in addition to saving money and avoiding air travel — are interested in culinary and cultural escapes. Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for addition

Word History

Etymology

Middle English addicioun, borrowed from Anglo-French addicion, borrowed from Latin additiōn-, additiō, from addi-, variant stem of addere "to add" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of addition was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Addition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/addition. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

addition

noun
ad·​di·​tion ə-ˈdish-ən How to pronounce addition (audio)
a-
1
: the result of adding : increase
2
: the act, process, or operation of adding
3
: a part added (as to a building)

More from Merriam-Webster on addition

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