What does "digit" mean?
A position in a sequence of numerals representing a place value in a positional number system.
Digit
/ˈdɪd͡ʒɪt/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A position in a sequence of numerals representing a place value in a positional number system.
- Grammar: digit is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: figure, finger, a number, adad.
- Useful contrasts: alphabetic character, catalan lletra, french lettre.
- Usage evidence: Security experts believe Apple’s fingerprint scanning technology senses whether a digit is attached to a living human, so severed phalanges should prove unsuccessful for unlocking a stolen iPhone.
How to use "digit"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "digit" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "digit" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "digit" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "digit" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "digit" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "figure" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "digit", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A position in a sequence of numerals representing a place value in a positional number system.
"The base-10 number 123.4 has four digits: the hundreds digit is 1, the tens digit is 2, the units digit is 3, and the tenths digit is 4."
- 2 a finger or toe in human beings or corresponding body part in other vertebrates wordnet
- 3 A distinct symbol representing a natural number in a positional number system.
"Hexadecimal numeration (Base sixteen) includes the digits 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 but also A (=10 decimal), B, C, D, E, and F. Sixteen itself is written as the two-digit number 10."
- 4 the length of breadth of a finger used as a linear measure wordnet
- 5 ¹⁄₁₂ the apparent diameter of the sun or moon, (chiefly) as a measure of the totality of an eclipse.
"A six-digit eclipse covers half the lunar surface."
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 one of the elements that collectively form a system of numeration wordnet
- 7 A unit of length notionally based upon the width of an adult human finger, standardized differently in various places and times, (especially) the English digit of ¹⁄₁₆ foot, now equivalent to about 1.9 cm. historical
- 8 Synonym of inch. obsolete
- 9 A narrow extremity of the human hand or foot: a finger, thumb, or toe.
"Jai grabbed Andrew’s shoulders with the same three digits he had used to grab the ancient doubter’s skull and spun him around."
- 10 Similar or similar-looking structures in other animals.
"The ruminants have the cloven foot, i.e. two hoofed digits on each foot."
- 11 Synonym of degree: ¹⁄₃₆₀ of a circle. obsolete, rare
- 12 Synonym of manicule.
Verb
- 1 To point at or point out with the finger. archaic, transitive
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
alphabetic charactercatalan lletrafrench lettrenonnumeric character
Example
"Security experts believe Apple’s fingerprint scanning technology senses whether a digit is attached to a living human, so severed phalanges should prove unsuccessful for unlocking a stolen iPhone."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "digit"?
Common synonyms include: figure, finger, a number, adad, annulary, arabic numeral.
How do you use "digit" in a sentence?
Security experts believe Apple’s fingerprint scanning technology senses whether a digit is attached to a living human, so severed phalanges should prove unsuccessful for unlocking a stolen iPhone.
How do you pronounce "digit"?
Pronounced /ˈdɪd͡ʒɪt/.
Etymology
From Middle English digit, from Latin digitus (“a finger; a number”). Doublet of digitus and dedo.