arithmetic

noun

arith·​me·​tic ə-ˈrith-mə-ˌtik 

1

a

: a branch of mathematics that deals usually with the nonnegative real numbers including sometimes the transfinite cardinals and with the application of the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to them

b

: a treatise on arithmetic

2

: computation, calculation

arithmetic

ˌer-ith-ˈme-tik 

ˌa-rith-

adjective

or arithmetical

ˌer-ith-ˈme-ti-kəl 

ˌa-rith-

arithmetically

ˌer-ith-ˈme-ti-k(ə-)lē 

ˌa-rith-

adverb

arithmetician

ə-ˌrith-mə-ˈti-shən 

noun

Synonyms

• calculation
• calculus
• ciphering
• computation
• figures
• figuring
• math
• mathematics
• number crunching
• numbers
• reckoning

Examples of arithmetic in a Sentence

a software program that will do the arithmetic for you

I haven't actually done the arithmetic yet, but I suspect we're losing money on the deal.

Recent Examples on the Web

One is to vote in a change to the debt brake (difficult given parliamentary arithmetic — there is talk of doing it in this parliament), declare an emergency ‘event’ that merits high spending as was the case with Covid-19 and it will be argued that President Donald Trump has created a crisis. —Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025

His pitch encountered initial resistance from potential members, given the arithmetic: Twenty percent higher costs for planting, while yielding 25 percent less coffee. —Peter S. Goodman, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025

Perhaps Franklin’s arithmetic wasn’t so bad after all. —James Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Dec. 2024

The show is really aimed at creating foundational skills in reading and arithmetic, along with lessons on proper behaviors that carry forward to the classroom. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English arsmetrik, from Anglo-French arismatike, from Latin arithmetica, from Greek arithmētikē, from feminine of arithmētikos arithmetical, from arithmein to count, from arithmos number; akin to Old English rīm number, and perhaps to Greek arariskein to fit

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing arithmetic

• arithmetic average
• arithmetic mean
• arithmetic progression
• arithmetic scale
• modular arithmetic

Rhymes for arithmetic

• alphabetic
• anaesthetic
• anesthetic
• antithetic
• apathetic
• cybernetic
• diabetic
• dietetic
• diuretic
• empathetic
• energetic
• geodetic

Kids Definition

arithmetic

noun

arith·​me·​tic ə-ˈrith-mə-ˌtik 

1

: a branch of mathematics that deals with real numbers and their addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division

2

: an act or method of computing

arithmetic

ˌar-ith-ˈmet-ik 

adjective

or arithmetical

-ˈmet-i-kəl 

arithmetically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

arithmetician

ə-ˌrith-mə-ˈtish-ən 

noun