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ordinal

ordinal

1 3.8
A number that shows the position in a sequence, like first or second
  • noun
  • /ˈɔrdənl/
translation icon : número ordinal
  • Nikki and Zoey first and second in the ordinals, DeGroat third.

Examples

  • The ordinal is determined by the number of generations to the closest common ancestor, minus one.

    Blog text (26)
  • On the positive side, 14 cells had perfect agreement, and 25 cells were but one ordinal away from unanimity.

    Academic text (2002)
  • Cardinals are things that fit the Peano axioms and measure size, and ordinals are things that measure position.

    Blog text (9)
  • In the race, Nikki finished first, Zoey was second, and DeGroat took third place, showcasing their ordinal positions.

  • The teacher explained that an ordinal number is used to indicate positions like first, second, and third in a sequence.

  • When counting the ordinal numbers, I realized that the team ranked fourth in the competition.

Synonyms

ordinal number
vsordinal
1 3.4

A number that shows position in a list

is the shorter single-word form used instead of the longer phrase

Compounds

A number that shows position in a list

Surface Forms

ordinal singular
ordinals plural

Etymology

An ordinal number gets its name from the Latin ordo meaning 'order'. An ordinal is a number that shows the 'position' of something in a list, for example first, second, or third.