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the number of — used to refer to the amount or quantity of countable things

Part of speech: NOUN

Definition: used to refer to the amount or quantity of countable things

Pronunciation (IPA): /ðə ˈnʌmbər əv/

Example Sentences

  • The number of pizza slices I can eat is directly proportional to how much I pretend to diet.
  • The number of participants has doubled since last year.
  • Scientists are concerned about the number of extinct species.

the number of

NOUN

[/ðə ˈnʌmbər əv/]

used to refer to the amount or quantity of countable things

a friendly cafeteria worker carefully places individual apples from a large basket onto students' lunch trays. She methodically takes one apple at a time and places each one precisely on each tray. As students move through the line, each receives exactly one apple while she keeps track mentally. The worker glances at her remaining apples to determine how many students she can still serve. Students wait patiently as she calculates whether she has enough fruit for everyone in line. someone determining the amount or quantity of countable things
💡 Concept

a friendly cafeteria worker carefully places individual apples from a large basket onto students' lunch trays. She methodically takes one apple at a time and places each one precisely on each tray. As students move through the line, each receives exactly one apple while she keeps track mentally. The worker glances at her remaining apples to determine how many students she can still serve. Students wait patiently as she calculates whether she has enough fruit for everyone in line. someone determining the amount or quantity of countable things

Counting the number of lumber before falling into slumber
🎵 Rhyme

Counting the number of lumber before falling into slumber

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ðə ˈnʌmbər əv/
🇬🇧 UK/ðə ˈnʌmbə əv/

🌳Etymology

Origin

This phrase combines 'number', derived from Latin numerus (meaning 'sum' or 'quantity'), with the preposition 'of' from Old English and Anglo-Saxon origins. Together, they form one of the most fundamental expressions for indicating quantity in English.

Breakdown

number (from Latin numerus, denoting a sum or collection) + of (preposition from Old English, indicating possession or relation), creating a prepositional phrase used to express countable amounts.

🎵Rhyme

lumberslumberumber
lumber
slumber
umber

🔗Collocations

the number of people
the number of times
increase the number of
reduce the number of
the number of cases
the growing number of

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

“The number of pizza slices I can eat is directly proportional to how much I pretend to diet.”

“The number of participants has doubled since last year.”

“Scientists are concerned about the number of extinct species.”

😄 Fun example

“The number of likes on my post determines my self-worth for the day.”

📚Related Words

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