denominator

noun

de·nom·i·na·tor di-ˈnä-mə-ˌnā-tər

mathematics : the part of a fraction that is below the line and that functions as the divisor of the numerator

: a shared trait

a common denominator

: the average level (as of taste or opinion) : standard

manufacturers catering to a safely low denominator of public taste Time

Example Sentences

In the fraction 2/3 the numerator is 2 and the denominator is 3.

Recent Examples on the Web One also has to consider the denominator of the fraction—that is, the sizes of the vaccinated and unvaccinated populations.

Amanda Montañez, Scientific American, 7 June 2022 Reaching beyond easy compromise or lowest-common-denominator agreement to generate fresh and unorthodox thinking about issues that have been debated forever is another.

Dan Balz, Anchorage Daily News, 17 Sep. 2022 Therefore, a huge increase in the denominator naturally results in a lower figure without the same corresponding increase in GDP.

Ivan Illan, Forbes, 25 Apr. 2022 It should be noted that underneath that big creator payout number is an even larger denominator.

Rob Salkowitz, Forbes, 18 July 2022 Through history and across cultures, bicycles are a human denominator.

Zoë Beery, The Atlantic, 31 May 2022 Then there are rising regulatory capital requirements, which influence the denominator part of return on equity.

Telis Demos, WSJ, 23 May 2022 When the denominator goes up, the value of the stock goes down.

John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 14 May 2022 Current candidates such as Republican gubernatorial hopeful Kari Lake rely on the same lowest-common-denominator trolling to whip up interest, attention and, in their case, votes.

Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 5 Aug. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'denominator.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.