Infinitesimal

Infinitesimal

ˌinˌfinəˈtes(ə)m(ə)l

Noun

  • (Mathematics) An indefinitely small quantity; a value approaching zero.

Adjective

  • Extremely small.

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Example Sentences

“The difference between the two shades of blue was so infinitesimal I couldn’t tell them apart until I was in bright sunlight.”

“He felt infinitesimal standing beneath the endless expanse of the night sky.”

“Newton and Leibniz both relied on the idea of the infinitesimal to develop calculus.”

Word Origin

Latin, mid-17th century

Why this word?

You might recognize the word “infinite” at the start of this long word, but it’s not used to refer to unendingly long numbers. Instead, “infinitesimal” is a description of very small size. There may be an infinite number of fish in the ocean, but a single speck of plankton is infinitesimal. In this sense, it’s used as an adjective, but mathematicians also use “infinitesimal” as a noun meaning “a value approaching zero.” This usage is specifically applicable in calculus. 

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ˈapədənsē