What does mathematic mean?
Mathematic is a rare, now archaic English word with two historical uses. As a noun, it meant a mathematician—a person who studies or works in mathematics. As an adjective, it meant mathematical, relating to mathematics or mathematical reasoning. The noun survives in dictionaries and older writing, but modern English normally uses mathematician, while mathematical is the ordinary adjective. Because the two forms look similar, mathematic can sound like an incomplete version of mathematics rather than a fully established word, and it should not normally be used in contemporary prose. Its chief importance is historical: it reflects the development of English mathematical vocabulary from Latin and Greek. The related forms mathematical, mathematician, and mathematics preserve the same learned root, while mathematic records an older stage when a specialist could be named with the base word itself.
A person who studies or works in mathematics; a mathematician.
"The academy recognized him as the foremost mathematic of his generation."
Archaic or literary; use mathematician in modern English.
Relating to mathematics or mathematical reasoning; mathematical.
"The professor demanded a more rigorous mathematic proof."
Archaic or literary; use mathematical in modern English.
Historically used as the plural of the archaic noun mathematic. In modern English, mathematicians is the standard plural for several people, while mathematics ordinarily names the subject.
"The account credits two of the leading mathematics of the age with the translation."
Although it resembles a shortened form of mathematics, mathematic is a genuine but dated word: it once meant either a mathematician or, adjectivally, mathematical.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mathematic come from?
Mathematic belongs to an English vocabulary that drew on Latin mathematicus, from Greek mathēmatikos, an adjective associated with learning and mathematical science. The Greek word is related to mathēma, meaning a thing learned or a mathematical proposition. In English, mathematic developed both as a noun meaning a mathematician and as an adjective meaning mathematical, though both forms are now archaic.
Related word forms
How mathematic is actually used
Both uses are archaic and literary rather than part of ordinary modern English. Use mathematician or mathematical in contemporary writing.
Easily confused with mathematic
Mathematic is the old literary noun for a person who works in mathematics; mathematician is the normal modern form.
As an adjective, mathematic means mathematical, but mathematical is the standard modern form, while mathematic survives mainly in older writing and dictionaries.