denominator

noun

de·​nom·​i·​na·​tor di-ˈnä-mə-ˌnā-tər 

1

mathematics : the part of a fraction that is below the line and that functions as the divisor of the numerator

2

a

: a shared trait

a common denominator

b

: the average level (as of taste or opinion) : standard

manufacturers catering to a safely low denominator of public taste Time

Examples of denominator in a Sentence

In the fraction 2/3 the numerator is 2 and the denominator is 3.

Recent Examples on the Web

This outsized impact tends to occur only for ratios where unusually small denominator values can create extremely high or low results. —David Trainer, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024

What happened is your denominator increased, more people joined the labor force this month. —Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 8 July 2024

This issue arises when the underlying elasticity equations contain a value that is close to being infinite—such as a fraction in which the thickness of an extremely thin metal plate is used as the denominator. —Manil Suri, Scientific American, 25 June 2024

Being effective may well require a prospective tutor to get a refresher on how to add fractions with unlike denominators or multiply decimals, but a bachelor’s degree, while nice, shouldn’t be a prerequisite. —Michael Thomas Duffy, Hartford Courant, 31 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

see denominate

First Known Use

circa 1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing denominator

• common denominator
• least common denominator
• lowest common denominator

Kids Definition

denominator

noun

de·​nom·​i·​na·​tor di-ˈnäm-ə-ˌnāt-ər 

: the part of a fraction that is below the line and that functions as the divisor of the numerator