addition

noun

ad·​di·​tion ə-ˈdi-shən How to pronounce addition (audio)
a-
1
: a part added (as to a building or residential section)
The addition expanded the kitchen.
2
: anything or anyone added : increase
The clerk was a recent addition to the staff.
3
: the act or process of adding
a recipe enhanced by the addition of freshly ground pepper
especially : the operation of combining numbers so as to obtain an equivalent simple quantity
schoolchildren learning about addition and subtraction
4
: direct chemical combination of substances into a single product
Phrases
in addition
: besides entry 2, also
The job requires a college degree and, in addition, at least two years of experience.
in addition to
: combined or associated with : besides entry 1 sense 2
In addition to soup, several salads were served.

Examples of addition in a Sentence

The children learned addition and subtraction. The museum's collection includes several new additions.
Recent Examples on the Web In his time in the Senate, Simpson has served as chair of the Ethics and Campaign Finance Committee and of the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation, in addition to membership on other committees. Margaret Kates | Mkates@al.com, al, 11 Sep. 2023 The product introduction begins at 10 a.m. PT — which is also expected to give consumers a first look at new Apple Watches, Airpods and other gear, in addition to the phones. Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 11 Sep. 2023 In addition to restoring seagrass beds and kelp forests, otters would draw enthusiasts to towns up the coast. Dino Grandoni and Melina Mara, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Sep. 2023 In addition to negligence, the complaint alleges that the child’s Fourth Amendment rights were violated. Praveena Somasundaram, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2023 In addition to his domestic economic troubles, China’s relations with India are at a hostile low point. Courtney Subramanian, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2023 In addition to metro Detroit, the most expensive gas price averages are in Marquette at $3.77 a gallon, and Traverse City, at $3.72. Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 11 Sep. 2023 In addition to the songs, Stevens assembled a 48-page Javelin companion book of art collages and 10 essays. Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 11 Sep. 2023 In addition to supplementation, diet and lifestyle practices are essential for a strong immune system. Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 31 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'addition.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English addicioun, borrowed from Anglo-French addicion, borrowed from Latin additiōn-, additiō, from addi-, variant stem of addere "to add" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of addition was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near addition

Cite this Entry

“Addition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/addition. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

addition

noun
ad·​di·​tion ə-ˈdish-ən How to pronounce addition (audio)
a-
1
: the result of adding : increase
2
: the act, process, or operation of adding
3
: a part added (as to a building)

More from Merriam-Webster on addition

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!