▪ I. ˈnumerate, pa. pple. and ppl. a.
(ˈnjuːmərət)
[ad. L. numerāt-us, pa. pple. of numerāre to number.]
† a. Numbered; counted. Obs.
| 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) III. 115 In the tyme of whom [807,000] citesynnes..were numerate in the cite of Rome. a 1560 Rolland Crt. Venus iv. 226 Ten Mulȝeoun Of fine reid gold in hand weill numerait. 1580 Exch. Rolls Scotl. XXI. 545 In numerat money..the sowme of tua hundreth fourscoir aucht pundis. 1623 Disposition Ratified in Macfarlane Genealog. Collect. (1900) 114 The saids Earles paying in numerate Money..the Sum [etc.]. 1655–60 T. Stanley Hist. Phil. (1701) 523/2 If the Monads are equal in number to all numerate things. |
b. As adj. [f. L. numerus number + -ate2, after literate.] Acquainted with the basic principles of mathematics and science.
| 1959 15 to 18: Rep. Cent. Advisory Council for Educ. (Eng.) (Ministry of Educ.) I. xxv. 269 Little is done to make science specialists more ‘literate’ than they were when they left the Fifth Form and nothing to make arts specialists more ‘numerate’, if we may coin a word to represent the mirror image of literacy. 1960 [see art n. 7]. 1966 A. Battersby Math. in Management i. 21 The aim of a good Sixth Form should be to send out into the world men and women who are both literate and numerate. 1967 Times Rev. Industry Mar. 103/2 (Advt.), Lecturer..in Management Science... Applicants should have a good honours degree..in a ‘numerate’ subject (e.g., engineering, mathematics, mathematical economics, physics, statistics). 1967 C. Berners-Lee in Wills & Yearsley Handbk. Management Technol. 1 It has become a commonplace of the day that we must all be numerate as well as literate. Ibid. 8 The ability to communicate easily with a computer is one which is greatly prized by all numerate professionals in the larger commercial and industrial organizations and in the universities. 1971 Country Life 20 May 1264/2 It has been my impression..that..children are much less literate and numerate than ever before. |
▪ II. ˈnumerate, v. rare.
[f. ppl. stem of L. numerāre: see prec.]
trans. To number, reckon. Also absol. Hence ˈnumerated ppl. a.
| 1721 in Bailey. 1751 Gentl. Mag. XXI. 61/2 In this manner he numerates his long series of numbers. 1788 T. Taylor Proclus I. 15 (Disser.), So far as by a discursive operation of the soul, we numerate, we effect a particular quantum. 1862 Lewis Astron. Ancients 240 The simple mode of numerating them in one series from the beginning to the end of the month. 1866 J. B. Rose tr. Ovid's Met. 4 No brazen tables then affrighted swains With numerated penalties and pains. |