indefinite numeral
- noun
- /ˌɪndɪˈfɪnɪt ˈnjumərəl/
- Specialized
:
numeral indefinido
- The people have many needs.
Examples
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We got too many eyes around here.
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Probably just too many male hormones or something.
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You got too many questions.
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But are they making too many faces?
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Oh, darling, there are simply too many courtiers to remember them all by name.
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'There weren't too many people on the train.'
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There's too many of them.
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That's been proved too many times, Hatfield.
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Too many loose sheep.
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There are many ways to solve this problem.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a numeral that refers to a non-specific or approximate quantity' is directly derivable from combining 'indefinite' (not fixed/clearly known) with 'numeral' (a sign expressing numeric value). This adjective+noun composition follows standard compositional patterns and has clear cross-linguistic parallels (e.g., Spanish 'numeral indefinido'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will likely understand the term.
Etymology
Indefinite numeral comes from the words indefinite, meaning 'not exact', and numeral, a 'number word'. Imagine holding a handful of stones and saying 'several' instead of counting them, so indefinite numeral means a word that gives a general amount rather than an exact number.
