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Added 9 October 2026

total

/ˈtəʊ.tl̩/ noun

In Latin: totus, solidus Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about total at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

An amount obtained by the addition of smaller amounts.
A total of £145 was raised by the bring-and-buy stall.

adjective

Entire; relating to the whole of something.
The total book is rubbish from start to finish. The total number of votes cast is 3,270.
Defined on all possible inputs.
The Ackermann function is one of the simplest and earliest examples of a total computable function that is not primitive recursive.
Left total: Such that for every x in X there is a y in Y with x R y.

verb

To add up; to calculate the sum of.
When we totalled the takings, we always got a different figure.
To equal a total of; to amount to.
That totals seven times so far.
To demolish; to wreck completely. (from total loss)
Honey, I’m OK, but I’ve totaled the car.

Origin

From Middle English total, from Old French total, from Medieval Latin tōtālis, from tōtus (“all, whole, entire”) + -ālis, the former element of unknown origin. Perhaps related to Oscan touto (“community, city-state”), Umbrian 𐌕𐌏𐌕𐌀𐌌 (totam, “tribe”, acc.), Old English þēod (“a nation, people, tribe”), from Proto-Indo-European *tewtéh₂ (“people”). More at English Dutch, English thede.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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