Definition of infinitesimal
: an infinitesimal quantity or variable
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Origin and Etymology of infinitesimal
New Latin infinitesimus infinite in rank, from Latin infinitus
Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms
Definition of infinitesimal
1
: taking on values arbitrarily close to but greater than zero
2
: immeasurably or incalculably small
- an infinitesimal difference
Examples of infinitesimal in a Sentence
an infinitesimal moment in time
a soft drink with only an infinitesimal amount of caffeine
Recent Examples of infinitesimal from the Web
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Two parallel lines, forever side by side yet forever apart - The space between them infinitesimalyet infinite.
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According to the theory, inflation stretched infinitesimal quantum fluctuations in those first moments to extragalactic size.
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The car is still nice, of course, but raising the canvas top over those infinitesimal rear seats and stretching it across the car’s wide, low body compromises every line the brand has worked so hard to develop and protect.
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Without defenseman Ivan Provorov, the Flyers’ chances of winning their Eastern Conference quarterfinal against the Penguins would go from slim to infinitesimal.
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While eligible, technically speaking, the Aztecs’ odds of doing the same are infinitesimal in comparison.
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With five games remaining, the Pistons (37-40) face infinitesimal odds to catch the Bucks (42-36) and reach the postseason for the third time in 10 seasons.
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The odds of it happening are infinitesimal, about 1 in 1 trillion, less than winning the Powerball jackpot and far less than being struck by lightning, according to Aerospace.
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The odds of it happening are infinitesimal, about 1 in 1 trillion, less than winning the Powerball jackpot and far less than being struck by lightning, according to Aerospace.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'infinitesimal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What is the origin of infinitesimal?
Infinite, as you probably know, means "endless" or "extending indefinitely." It is ultimately from Latin infinitus, the opposite of finitus, meaning "finite." The notion of smallness in infinitesimal derives from the mathematical concept that a quantity can be divided endlessly; no matter how small, it can be subdivided into yet smaller fractions, or "infinitesimals." The concept was still in its infancy in 1710 when Irish philosopher George Berkeley observed that some people "assert there are infinitesimals of infinitesimals of infinitesimals, etc., without ever coming to an end." He used the adjective in a mathematical sense, too, referring to "infinitesimal parts of finite lines." Less than a quarter century later, the adjective had acquired a general sense applicable to anything too small to be measured.
First Known Use of infinitesimal
1710
infinitesimal Synonyms
Synonyms
atomic, bitty, itty-bitty (or itsy-bitsy), little bitty, microscopic (also microscopical), miniature, minuscule, minute, teensy, teensy-weensy, teeny, teeny-weeny, tiny, wee, weeny;
Antonyms
astronomical (also astronomic), colossal, cosmic, elephantine, enormous, giant, gigantic, herculean, heroic, huge, immense, mammoth, massive, monster, monstrous, monumental, mountainous, prodigious, titanic, tremendous;
Near Antonyms
big, bulky, bumper, considerable, extensive, good, goodly, grand, great, gross, handsome, hefty, hulking, jumbo, king-size (or king-sized), large, largish, major, outsize (also outsized), overgrown, overscale (or overscaled), oversize (or oversized), sizable (or sizeable), substantial, super, whacking, whopping;
Related Words
baby, diminutive, dwarf, elfin, half-pint, little, micro, model, petite, pocket, pocket-size (also pocket-sized), pygmy, small, smallish;
dinky, dwarfish, insignificant, pint-size (or pint-sized), puny, scrubby, undersized (also undersize);
Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms
INFINITESIMAL Defined for English Language Learners
INFINITESIMAL Defined for Kids
Definition of infinitesimal for Students
: extremely small
- The chance of winning is infinitesimal.
Learn More about infinitesimal
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for infinitesimal Spanish Central: Translation of infinitesimal Nglish: Translation of infinitesimal for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about infinitesimal
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