a specified or definite amount, weight, number, etc
b.
(as modifier)
a quantity estimate
2.
the aspect or property of anything that can be measured, weighed, counted, etc
3.
a large or considerable amount
4. mathematics
an entity having a magnitude that may be denoted by a numerical expression
5. physics
a specified magnitude or amount; the product of a number and a unit
6. logic
the characteristic of a proposition dependent on whether it is a universal or particular statement, considering all or only part of a class
7. prosody
the relative duration of a syllable or the vowel in it
▶ USAGE The use of a plural noun after quantity of as in a large quantity of bananas was formerly considered incorrect, but is now acceptable
Word origin
C14: from Old French quantité, from Latin quantitās extent, amount, from quantus how much
Examples of 'quantities' in a sentence
quantities
That one does rather depend, though, on having access to industrial quantities of salt.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
A lot of unknown quantities in there.
The Sun (2015)
Unknown to him, she was taking increasingly large quantities of sleeping tablets.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
But the quantities vary hugely between countries - even among the same brands.
The Sun (2011)
Those are already bedecked with ample quantities of red ink.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Huge quantities of branches and plastic bottles are clogging the river.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
This is impossible to make in small quantities.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
To make it for four people, just double the quantities.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The block was cordoned off and large quantities of material were seized for examination.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
All related terms of 'quantities'
qty
quantity
quantity
A quantity is an amount that you can measure or count.
bill of quantities
a document drawn up by a quantity surveyor providing details of the prices, dimensions , etc, of the materials required to build a large structure, such as a factory
known quantity
an algebraic quantity whose value is given
minus quantity
a quantity less than zero
available quantity
The available quantity of a product is the amount of that product available, or currently available in the store .
unknown quantity
If you say that someone or something is an unknown quantity , you mean that not much is known about what they are like or how they will behave .