ordinal number
noun
1
: a number designating the place (such as first, second, or third) occupied by an item in an ordered sequence see Table of Numbers
2
: a number assigned to an ordered set that designates both the order of its elements and its cardinal number
Examples of ordinal number in a Sentence
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There are 25 Helena Drives in Brentwood, each a cul-de-sac preceded by a different ordinal number — 7th, 19th, etc.
—
Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2024
The guy who gave us Twin Peaks and Dune (1984) is rejecting ordinal numbers.
—Zoe Guy, Vulture, 28 May 2024
Interestingly enough, Kruskal's tree theorem required non-finite mathmatics to prove, using advanced techniques such as transfinite arithmetic and ordinal numbers.
—Jay Bennett, Popular Mechanics, 20 Oct. 2017
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Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2024
The guy who gave us Twin Peaks and Dune (1984) is rejecting ordinal numbers.
—Zoe Guy, Vulture, 28 May 2024
Interestingly enough, Kruskal's tree theorem required non-finite mathmatics to prove, using advanced techniques such as transfinite arithmetic and ordinal numbers.
—Jay Bennett, Popular Mechanics, 20 Oct. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Ordinal number.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ordinal%20number. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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