Etymology
1. 1297, "sum, aggregate of a collection," from Anglo-Fr.
noumbre, from O.Fr.
nombre, from L.
numerus "a number, quantity," from PIE base
*nem- "to divide, distribute, allot" (related to Gk.
nemein "to deal out;" see nemesis). Meaning "symbol or figure of arithmatic value" is from c.1391. The meaning "musical selection" is from vaudeville theater programs, where acts were marked by a number. The verb meaning "to count" is from 1297.
Number one "oneself" is from 1704 (mock-It. form
numero uno attested from 1973); the biblical
Book of Numbers (c.1400, L.
Numeri, Gk.
Arithmoi) so called because it begins with a census of the Israelites.
No., "abbreviation for 'number,' " is from It.
numero. Slang
number one and
number two for "urinate" and "defecate" attested from 1902.
Number cruncher is 1966, of machines; 1971, of persons. To
get or
have (someone's) number "have someone figured out" is attested from 1853.
The numbers "illegal lottery" is from 1897, Amer.Eng.
2. Etymology tree
3. Proto-Indo-European *nem-
4. Proto-Italic *nomezos
5. Latin numerus
6. Anglo-Norman noumbrebor.
7. Middle English nombre
8. English number
9. Inherited from Middle English number, nombre, numbre, noumbre, from Anglo-Norman noumbre, Old French nombre, from Latin numerus (“number”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *nem- (“to distribute, to give, to take”). Compare Saterland Frisian Nummer, Nuumer, West Frisian nûmer, Dutch nummer (“number”), German Nummer (“number”), Danish nummer (“number”), Swedish nummer (“number”), Icelandic númer (“number”). Displaced Middle English ȝetæl and rime; more at tell, tale and rhyme. Distantly related (via Proto-Indo-European) to obsolete English nim (“to take, seize”) and its Germanic cognates (e.g. German nehmen), hence also to numb. See: English '
nim', German, old spelling '
nehmen'.
Verbs referencing "number"
Maori nama.