sum

sum [sum; ] for n. 6 [ so͞om]

n.

[ME somme < MFr < L summa, fem. of summus, highest, superl. < base of super: see SUPER-]

1. an amount of money [a sum paid in reparation]

2. the whole amount; totality; aggregate [the sum of our experience]

3. the gist or a summary of something said, done, etc.: usually in sum and substance

4.

a) the result obtained by adding numbers or quantities; total

b) Old-fashioned a series of numbers to be added together, or any problem in arithmetic

c) the limit of the sum of the first n terms of an infinite series as n grows indefinitely

d) the set containing every element belonging to one or both of two original sets and no other elements

e) in Boolean algebra, DISJUNCTION (sense 2)

5. Archaic the highest degree; height; summit pl. sum

6. [Uzbek sŭm] the basic monetary unit of Uzbekistan: see the table of monetary units in the Reference Supplement

vt.

summed, summing

1. to determine the sum of by adding

2. to summarize or review briefly; sum up

vi.

to get, or come to, a total

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in sum

to put it briefly; in short

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sum up

1. to add up or collect into a whole or total

2. to review briefly; summarize

SYN.- SUM refers to the number or amount obtained by adding individual units [the sum of 3 and 5 is 8 ]; AMOUNT applies to the result obtained by combining all the sums, quantities, measures, etc. that are involved [we paid the full amount of the damages ]; AGGREGATE refers to the whole group or mass of individual items gathered together [the aggregate of our experiences ]; TOTAL stresses the wholeness or inclusiveness of a sum or amount [the collection reached a total of $200 ]