Cardinality
/ˌkɑːrdɪˈnælɪti/noun
The number of elements in a set or the size of a mathematical object.
Did you know?The term 'cardinality' is linked to the Latin 'cardo', meaning 'hinge', suggesting that numbers are the 'hinges' of understanding reality itself.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kerd-
“to be hard or strong, related to the heart or core of something.”
Latin
Latin
cardinalis
“pertaining to the hinge, essential, or principal.”
Old French
Old French
cardinaux
“chief or principal.”
14th Century
Middle English
cardinall
“of chief importance, essential.”
Modern English
English
cardinality
“the concept of the size of a set or the number of elements in a mathematical sense.”
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