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What is the origin of infinitesimal?
Infinite, as you probably know, means "endless" or "extending indefinitely." It is ultimately from Latin infīnītus, the opposite of fīnītus, meaning "finite." The notion of smallness in infinitesimal derives from the mathematical concept that a quantity can be divided endlessly; no matter how small, it can be subdivided into yet smaller fractions, or infinitesimals. The concept was still in its infancy in the early 1700s when Irish philosopher George Berkeley observed that some people "assert there are infinitesimals of infinitesimals of infinitesimals, etc., without ever coming to an end." He used the word in a mathematical sense, too, referring to "infinitesimal parts of finite lines." Later, the adjectival form acquired a general sense applicable to anything too small to be measured.
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Examples of infinitesimal in a Sentence
Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2021
Most are created on a 1-to-12-inch scale, but some are as infinitesimal as 1 to 48.
—Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2024
Jordana Cepelewicz, Quanta Magazine, 31 Aug. 2023
The one that resounds with the strongest symbolic power is a cinematic infinitesimal: Gia’s prepaid cell phone, which speaks to her in a robo-voice of her declining balance, dwindling ominously to ninety-six cents when Trey calls her, four when her water breaks.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 July 2023
See all Example Sentences for infinitesimal 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'infinitesimal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near infinitesimal
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“Infinitesimal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infinitesimal. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
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