quantity

noun

quan·​ti·​ty ˈkwän-tə-tē 

plural quantities

1

a

: an indefinite amount or number

b

: a determinate or estimated amount

c

: total amount or number

d

: a considerable amount or number

—often plural

… generous quantities of luck.

—H. E. Putsch

2

a

: the aspect in which a thing is measurable in terms of greater, less, or equal or of increasing or decreasing magnitude

b

: the subject of a mathematical operation

c

: an individual considered with respect to a given situation

… an unknown quantity … as attorney general.

—Tom Wicker

3

a

: duration and intensity of speech sounds as distinct from their individual quality or phonemic character

specifically : the relative length or brevity of a prosodic syllable in some languages (such as Greek and Latin)

b

: the relative duration or time length of a speech sound or sound sequence

4

: the character of a logical proposition as being universal, particular, or singular

Synonyms of quantity

• loads
• ton
• plenty
• dozen
• chunk
• deal
• abundance
• wealth
• pile
• lot
• slew
• bunch
• volume
• bundle

Examples of quantity in a Sentence

The wine is made in small quantities.

The boss is worried about quantity as well as quality.

The family buys food in quantity.

Recent Examples on the Web

The research could offer another route to accessing the enormous quantity of uranium dissolved in the world’s oceans, although substantial engineering and economic hurdles remain before the technology could become commercially viable. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026

The quantity of shots allowed is a major reason, with 44 in total, 15 of which have been on target. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Federal prosecutors accuse Maduro of participating in a conspiracy that helped move massive quantities of cocaine into the United States by working with Venezuelan law enforcement officials to assist drug traffickers. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026

The result is a collection of novels that, while intermittently electrifying, expend an incredible quantity of words on the semiotics of TV marketing and the ethics of selling out. — Robert Rubsam, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English quantite, from Anglo-French quantité, from Latin quantitat-, quantitas, from quantus how much, how large; akin to Latin quam how, as, quando when, qui who — more at who

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing quantity

• in quantity
• known quantity
• quantity surveyor
• quantity theory
• unknown quantity

Kids Definition

quantity

noun

quan·​ti·​ty ˈkwän(t)-ət-ē 

plural quantities

1

a

: an amount or number that is not fixed

b

: a great amount or number

buys food in quantity

2

a

: the character of something that makes it possible to measure or number it

b

: something on which a mathematical operation can be performed

multiply the quantity x by y

Etymology

Middle English quantite "amount," from early French quantité (same meaning), derived from Latin quantus "how much?, how large?"