Quantity

How to spell quantity

8 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce quantity

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does quantity mean?

1. nounAn amount or number of something that can be measured or counted.

Quantity in a sentence

• The recipe calls for a large quantity of flour.

• Buying in bulk reduces the cost per unit when the quantity is high.

Where does quantity come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word descends from the Latin quantitas, an abstract noun meaning 'greatness' or 'how much', which was formed from the question word quantus, literally 'how great' or 'how much'. Roman writers used quantitas in measuring and counting, and the term passed into Old French as quantite before reaching English in the 1300s through that French route. The same quantus root underlies the modern words 'quantum' and 'quantify', so the family is all about measurable amount. The spelling trap for adults lies in the middle and the ending: writers often forget the silent first 'n' (the sound is closer to 'kwon-ti-tee'), and the '-tity' cluster can tempt a stray double letter or a swapped vowel. Holding on to the Latin quantus helps fix the 'quan-' opening in memory.

How the word is built

• quant- (from Latin quantus: how much/how great)
• -ity (noun suffix forming an abstract state)