mathematic


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math·e·mat·i·cal

 (măth′ə-măt′ĭ-kəl) also math·e·mat·ic (-ĭk)

adj.

1. Of or relating to mathematics.

2.

a. Precise; exact.

b. Absolute; certain.

3. Possible according to mathematics but highly improbable: The team has only a mathematical chance to win the championship.


[Middle English, from Medieval Latin mathēmaticālis, from Latin mathēmaticus, from Greek mathēmatikos, from mathēma, mathēmat-, science, learning, from manthanein, math-, to learn; see mendh- in Indo-European roots.]


math′e·mat′i·cal·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.