DENOMINATOR • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Denominator

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/dɪnˈɑmənˌeɪtər/ Listen

noun

Denominator n.

1.

One who, or that which, gives a name; origin or source of a name. "This opinion that Aram... was the father and denomination of the Syrians in general."

2.

(Arith.) That number placed below the line in common fractions which shows into how many parts the integer or unit is divided. Note: Thus, in 3/5, 5 is the denominator, showing that the integer is divided into five parts; and the numerator, 3, shows how many parts are taken.

3.

(Alg.) That part of any expression under a fractional form which is situated below the horizontal line signifying division. Note: In this sense, the denominator is not necessarily a number, but may be any expression, either positive or negative, real or imaginary.

common denominator a number which can divide either of two or more other numbers without leaving a remainder in any of the divisions; as, 2 and 4 are common denominators of 12 and 28..

greatest common denominator the largest common denominator of two or more numbers; as, 9 is the greatest common denominator of 18 and 27..

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Etymology of 'Denominator'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Denominator" Quotes from Famous Books

... Carlyle, is as the value of a common fraction, which results from dividing the numerator by the denominator. The numerator, in life, is What We Have. The denominator is What We Think We Ought to Have. Mankind may be divided into two classes: Fools and Wise. The fools are eternally trying to get happiness by multiplying the numerator, the wise divide the denominator. They both come to the ...

— 21 • Frank Crane

... and it is equally reasonable to speak of the time taken up by its vibration. It is not necessary to believe that the duration that we actually experience as a second must itself be capable of being divided up into the number of parts indicated by the denominator of the fraction that we use in indicating such a time, and that each of these parts must be ...

— An Introduction to Philosophy • George Stuart Fullerton

... another. It is not a question of relative strength between character and circumstance, as people are so fond of asserting. That is mere gibberish. It means nothing. The two things cannot be compared, for they are not of the same nature. They can't be reduced to a common denominator." ...

— The Daughters of Danaus • Mona Caird

... largely a hospital for incurable forgottenhoods—is better than any course of philosophy to the young author. Let him reckon how many of the ten thousand or so names here recorded he has ever heard of before, let him make this myriad the denominator of a fraction to which the dozen perennial fames shall be the numerator, and he will find that his dividend of a chance at escaping speedy extinction is not worth making himself unhappy about. Should some statistician make such a book the basis for constructing ...

— Atlantic Monthly, Volume 3, No. 20, June, 1859 • Various

... CONTROLLER looks askance at teas in these days, but in hot weather, when luncheon is reduced to the lowest common denominator and dinner resolves itself into a cold collation in the cool of the evening, some refreshment between our second and third meals is indispensable. I accordingly give two recipes which need no wheaten flour ...

— Punch, 1917.07.04, Vol. 153, Issue No. 1 • Various

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