Antonyms for sum


Grammar : Noun
Spell : suhm
Phonetic Transcription : sÊŒm


Definition of sum

Origin :
  • late 13c., "quantity or amount of money," from Anglo-French and Old French summe (13c.), from Latin summa "total number, whole, essence, gist," noun use of fem. of summus "highest," from PIE *sup-mos-, from root *uper "over" (see super-).
  • The sense development from "highest" to "total number" is probably via the Roman custom of adding up a stack of figures from the bottom and writing the sum at the top, rather than at the bottom as we do now (cf. the bottom line). Meaning "total number of anything" is recorded from late 14c. Meaning "essence of a writing or speech" also is attested from late 14c. The verb is attested from c.1300; meaning "briefly state the substance of" (now usually with up) is first recorded 1620s. Sum-total is attested from late 14c., from Medieval Latin summa totalis.
  • noun total
Example sentences :
  • When you solve a sum you go from "a" to "b" and from "b" to "c" and from "c" to "d" and so on.
  • Extract from : « Ancient Man » by Hendrik Willem van Loon
  • He gives his ambassador a sum on which a private gentleman can live, and no more.
  • Extract from : « Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. 327 » by Various
  • In Vienna, L. 11,000 a-year is equal to twice the sum in England.
  • Extract from : « Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. 327 » by Various
  • I know that you have double the sum we want in ready money—so I make no ceremony.
  • Extract from : « Tales And Novels, Volume 3 (of 10) » by Maria Edgeworth
  • But you, sir—will any sum—that is, any reasonable sum—be of use to you?
  • Extract from : « Night and Morning, Complete » by Edward Bulwer-Lytton
  • Perhaps that sum, trifling as it was, may have smoothed your path and assisted your career.
  • Extract from : « Night and Morning, Complete » by Edward Bulwer-Lytton
  • That money was never scarcer, and she wanted to make up a sum.
  • Extract from : « Joseph Andrews, Vol. 2 » by Henry Fielding
  • Tip remembered it was just possible that he might know something about the sum.
  • Extract from : « Tip Lewis and His Lamp » by Pansy
  • He would have agreed to ten times the sum demanded; for the boat he must and would have.
  • Extract from : « The Black Bag » by Louis Joseph Vance
  • The stones are fine ones, and the Boston jeweller offers you that sum for them.
  • Extract from : « The Green Satin Gown » by Laura E. Richards

Synonyms for sum

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019