Definition of “quantity” - English Dictionary

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“quantity” in English

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quantitynoun [ C or U ]

uk ​ /ˈkwɒn.tə.ti/ us ​ /ˈkwɑːn.t̬ə.t̬i/

B1 the amount or number of something, especially that can be measured:

Police found a large/small quantity of drugs in his possession.
We consumed vast quantities of food and drink that night.
The (sheer) quantity (= large amount) of equipment needed for the trip is staggering.
They are now developing ways to produce the vaccine in large quantities and cheaply.
This recipe is only for four, so I usually double the quantity if I'm cooking for my family.
It's quality not quantity that really counts.

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Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Grammar

Amount of, number of or quantity of? …
Amount of or number of?We use amount of with uncountable nouns. Number of is used with countable nouns: …
A quantity of or quantities of?Quantity is more formal than amount or number. A quantity of or quantities of can be followed by a countable noun or an uncountable noun. They are most commonly used with an adjective such as huge, big, large, small: …

(Definition of “quantity” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

“quantity” in American English

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quantitynoun [ C/U ]

us ​ /ˈkwɑn·tɪ·t̬i/

› the amount or number of something, or a particular amount or number:

[ C ] a large/small quantity
[ C ] She served each of us a vast quantity of spaghetti.

(Definition of “quantity” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

“quantity” in Business English

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quantitynoun

uk ​ /ˈkwɒntəti/ us ​

› [ C ] an amount or number of something, especially one that can be measured:

quantity of sth A sudden surge in the quantity of stock available would almost certainly depress the price.
huge/large/vast quantity Asian central banks have been buying huge quantities of Treasury bonds.
in large/small quantities Supermarkets, being able to buy in large quantities, can offer their customers the best prices.

› [ U ] used to talk about how much there is of something, rather than its quality:

Our focus is on quality, not quantity.
While quantity is of course important, quality must remain the highest priority.

› [ C or U ] a large amount or number of something:

Poorer people can't afford to bulk buy and save by purchasing in quantity.
The sheer quantity of detail makes the book a valuable tool.
a quantity of sth Officers seized computer equipment as well as a quantity of cash and drugs in the raids.

See also

bill of quantities
economic order quantity
equilibrium quantity

(Definition of “quantity” from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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