natural numbers

English

Noun

natural numbers pl (normally plural, singular natural number)

(mathematics) The set of positive integers, {1, 2, 3, ...}.
(mathematics, computer science) The set of non-negative integers, {0, 1, 2, 3, ...}.

Usage notes

In computer science, the natural numbers always include zero. In mathematics, some texts define them to include zero and some do not.

Synonyms

counting numbers (positive integers)
whole numbers (either sense)
ℕ

Related terms

Translations

number theory

Chinese: 自然数 (ziranshu)
Dutch: natuurlijk getal (nl) n
Finnish: luonnolliset luvut, luonnollisten lukujen joukko
German: natürliche Zahlen (de) f pl
Italian: numero naturale (it) m
Japanese: 自然数 (ja) (しぜんすう, shizensu)

Korean: 자연수(自然數, jayeonsu)
Portuguese: números naturais
Russian: натуральные числа pl (naturalʹnyje čisla)
Swedish: naturliga tal n pl
Telugu: సహజ సంఖ్యలు (sahaja saṅkhyalu)

References

“natural number” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
“natural number” in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 2000, →ISBN.
"natural number" in WordNet 2.0, Princeton University, 2003.

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