natural number
noun
1
: the number 1 or any number (such as 3, 12, 432) obtained by adding 1 to it one or more times : a positive integer
2
: any of the positive integers together with 0 : a nonnegative integer
Examples of natural number in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The nth prime number is the smallest natural number x for which f(1) + f(2) + ...
—
Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 16 Nov. 2023
In this case, the natural numbers no longer split into two camps but into nine.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 24 Oct. 2023
While mussels and barnacles rebounded to natural numbers within a few years of the spill, not all species were so lucky.
—J. Besl, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 June 2023
So getting outscored might seem like a natural number for Denver based on the number of players Phoenix uses, but not really.
—Dana Scott, The Arizona Republic, 8 May 2023
The first surprising thing is that those sets that seem to be larger than the natural numbers actually are the same size as the natural numbers.
—Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 19 Apr. 2023
Thus, a natural number appears either particularly frequently or extremely rarely in the OEIS database.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 3 Mar. 2023
Like Schur’s theorem, Hindman’s applies no matter how the natural numbers are colored (with a finite number of crayons).
—Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 15 Mar. 2023
Guglielmetti went on to have the number of all entries output in sequence for the natural numbers and plotted the result graphically.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 3 Mar. 2023
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Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 16 Nov. 2023
In this case, the natural numbers no longer split into two camps but into nine.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 24 Oct. 2023
While mussels and barnacles rebounded to natural numbers within a few years of the spill, not all species were so lucky.
—J. Besl, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 June 2023
So getting outscored might seem like a natural number for Denver based on the number of players Phoenix uses, but not really.
—Dana Scott, The Arizona Republic, 8 May 2023
The first surprising thing is that those sets that seem to be larger than the natural numbers actually are the same size as the natural numbers.
—Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 19 Apr. 2023
Thus, a natural number appears either particularly frequently or extremely rarely in the OEIS database.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 3 Mar. 2023
Like Schur’s theorem, Hindman’s applies no matter how the natural numbers are colored (with a finite number of crayons).
—Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 15 Mar. 2023
Guglielmetti went on to have the number of all entries output in sequence for the natural numbers and plotted the result graphically.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 3 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'natural number.' 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
1763, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near natural number
Cite this Entry
“Natural number.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/natural%20number. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
natural number
noun
: the number 1 or any number (as 3, 12, or 432) obtained by adding 1 to it one or more times : a positive whole number
More from Merriam-Webster on natural number
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about natural number
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