Meaning & use
infinitesimally
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Meanings
adverbnot comparable
By an extremely small amount that is hard to measure.
Grammar: Goes before adjectives or with verbs of change: infinitesimally small.
Patterns
- infinitesimally small
- change infinitesimally
The temperature rose infinitesimally during the test.
The two samples differ only infinitesimally.
Her chances improved infinitesimally.
adverbnot comparablemathematics
In mathematics, by a quantity that approaches zero without being zero.
Grammar: A technical sense about calculus.
Patterns
- infinitesimally close to something
The distance becomes infinitesimally small as the curve approaches the line.
The value changes infinitesimally near the limit.
The step is infinitesimally close to zero.
Common combinations
- infinitesimally small
- The particles are infinitesimally small.
- change infinitesimally
- The reading changed infinitesimally.
- infinitesimally slight
- The difference is infinitesimally slight.
- infinitesimally narrow
- The margin was infinitesimally narrow.
- vary infinitesimally
- Results varied only infinitesimally.
Synonyms and how they differ
- minutely
- Minutely means in tiny detail or by a tiny amount, a little less extreme.
- negligibly
- Negligibly means so small it can be ignored.
- marginally
- Marginally means by a small amount, but not as tiny as infinitesimally.
- imperceptibly
- Imperceptibly means too small to notice.
Opposites
Word family
- infinitesimal adjective
- extremely small
- infinitesimal noun
- a quantity nearly zero
- infinite adjective
- without limit
- infinity noun
- endless size
Commonly confused: infinitesimally or infinitely?
infinitesimally vs infinitely
Infinitely means without limit or to a huge degree, the opposite end of the scale from infinitesimally.
Practice
The two measurements differ only ____, so the scientists treated them as identical.
Choose one answer.
Infinitesimally means by an extremely tiny amount. Infinitely, immensely and enormously all suggest large differences.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “infinitesimally”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.