Meaning & use
numeric
Last updated
UK/njuːˈmerɪk/
US/nuːˈmerɪk/
Meaning
adjectivebefore a nountechnical
Made up of numbers or relating to numbers rather than letters or words.
Grammar: Usually comes before a noun: a numeric code, a numeric value.
Patterns
- a numeric code
- a numeric value
The password must include at least one numeric character.
The form accepts only numeric entries in this box.
A numeric code opens the safe.
Common combinations
- numeric value
- Each letter was assigned a numeric value.
- numeric code
- Enter your numeric code.
- numeric keypad
- The laptop has a numeric keypad.
- numeric data
- The program handles numeric data well.
- numeric character
- Use at least one numeric character.
Synonyms and how they differ
- numerical
- Numerical is almost identical but more common in general writing, such as numerical order.
- digital
- Digital refers to electronic data in general, while numeric refers to numbers.
- quantitative
- Quantitative describes measuring amounts, while numeric describes the form of the data.
- arithmetic
- Arithmetic describes calculation with numbers, not the numbers themselves.
Opposites
Word family
- number noun
- a symbol representing a quantity
- numerical adjective
- relating to numbers
- numerically adverb
- in terms of numbers
- numeral noun
- a written symbol for a number
- numerate adjective
- good at working with numbers
Commonly confused: numeric or numerous?
numeric vs numerous
Numerous means many, but numeric means relating to numbers.
Practice
The field accepts only ___ characters, so you can type 1234 but not abcd.
Choose one answer.
Numeric means made of numbers. Alphabetic means letters, so it is the opposite.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “numeric”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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