Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Infinity
In-fin′i-ty
,Noun.
pl.
Infinities
(#)
. 1.
Unlimited extent of time, space, or quantity; eternity; boundlessness; immensity.
Sir T. More.
There can not be more
infinities
than one; for one of them would limit the other. Sir W. Raleigh.
2.
Unlimited capacity, energy, excellence, or knowledge;
as, the
. infinity
of God and his perfectionsHooker.
3.
Endless or indefinite number; great multitude; as an infinity of beauties.
Broome.
4.
(Math.)
A quantity greater than any assignable quantity of the same kind.
☞ Mathematically considered, infinity is always a limit of a variable quantity, resulting from a particular supposition made upon the varying element which enters it.
Davies & Peck (Math. Dict.).
5.
(Geom.)
That part of a line, or of a plane, or of space, which is infinitely distant. In modern geometry, parallel lines or planes are sometimes treated as lines or planes meeting at infinity.
Circle at infinity
, an imaginary circle at infinity, through which, in geometry of three dimensions, every sphere is imagined to pass.
– Circular points at infinity
. See under
Circular
.Webster 1828 Edition
Infinity
INFIN'ITY
,Noun.
1.
Unlimited extent of time, space or quantity; boundlessness. We apply infinity to God and his perfections; we speak of the infinity of his existence, his knowledge, his power, his goodness and holiness.2.
Immensity; indefinite extent.3.
Endless or indefinite number; a hyperbolical use of the word; as an infinity of beauties.Definition 2024
infinity
infinity
English
Noun
infinity (countable and uncountable, plural infinities)
- (uncountable) Endlessness, unlimitedness, absence of a beginning, end or limits to size.
- (countable, mathematics) A number that has an infinite numerical value that cannot be counted.
- 2012 January 1, Michael Riordan, “Tackling Infinity”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, page 86:
- Some of the most beautiful and thus appealing physical theories, including quantum electrodynamics and quantum gravity, have been dogged for decades by infinities that erupt when theorists try to prod their calculations into new domains. Getting rid of these nagging infinities has probably occupied far more effort than was spent in originating the theories.
-
- (countable, topology, analysis) An idealised point which is said to be approached by sequences of values whose magnitudes increase without bound.
- (uncountable) A number which is very large compared to some characteristic number. For example, in optics, an object which is much further away than the focal length of a lens is said to be "at infinity", as the distance of the image from the lens varies very little as the distance increases further.
- (uncountable) The symbol ∞.
Usage notes
In mathematics there are several different infinities; see transfinite.
Related terms
Antonyms
Translations
endlessness, unlimitedness, absence of end or limit
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a number that has an infinite, uncountable numerical value
a number which is very large compared to some characteristic number
the symbol ∞
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