innumerate

adjective

in·​nu·​mer·​ate i-ˈnü-mə-rət How to pronounce innumerate (audio)
-ˈnyü-;
-ˈn(y)üm-rət
: marked by an ignorance of mathematics and the scientific approach
innumeracy
i-ˈnü-mə-rə-sē How to pronounce innumerate (audio)
-ˈnyü-;
-ˈn(y)üm-rə-
noun
innumerate noun

Examples of innumerate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Answer Man is innumerate in all major numbering systems — Roman, Arabic, hexadecimal — and not so hot in Latin, either. Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2021 To my innumerate mind, though, the odds of a Biden win are basically fifty-fifty. Matt Ford, The New Republic, 21 Oct. 2020 In those necks of the woods, people are too ignorant to vote in favor of helping their illiterate and innumerate children. James Freeman, WSJ, 9 Oct. 2018 They would be termed innumerate — unskilled at working with numbers. Sandy Bauers, Philly.com, 29 June 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'innumerate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of innumerate was in 1959

Dictionary Entries Near innumerate

Cite this Entry

“Innumerate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/innumerate. Accessed 3 Jun. 2024.

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