Arithmetic

/əˈrɪθ.mə.tɪk/

Meaning & Definition

noun
A calculation involving the basic operations of mathematics.
The arithmetic involved in budgeting can be quite complex.
A branch of mathematics dealing with the properties and manipulation of numbers.
To complete his homework, he needed to solve several problems in arithmetic.
The process of calculating or determining a quantity through addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
She quickly performed the arithmetic in her head to find the total.
adjective
Relating to, or consisting of arithmetic; numerical.
He has an arithmetic approach to solving problems logically.

Etymology

From Middle English arithmetike, from Old French arithmetique, from Latin arithmeticus, from Greek arithmētikos ('of or belonging to numbers').

Common Phrases and Expressions

basic arithmetic
The fundamental operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
arithmetic mean
The average of a set of numbers calculated by dividing the sum of the numbers by their count.
long division
A method for dividing two numbers where the dividend is broken down into smaller parts.

Related Words

numerals
Symbols used to represent numbers.
calculus
A branch of mathematics involving derivatives and integrals.
algebra
A branch of mathematics dealing with symbols and the rules for manipulating those symbols.

Slang Meanings

Math, especially calculations.
I need to brush up on my arithmetic before the test.
Easy math calculations.
That’s just simple arithmetic, nothing complex.