count

1 of 3

verb

ˈkau̇nt How to pronounce count (audio)
 dialectal  ˈkyau̇nt
counted; counting; counts

transitive verb

1
a
: to indicate or name by units or groups so as to find the total number of units involved : number
Count the pages of the manuscript.
b
: to name the numbers in order up to and including
Count ten.
c
: to include in a tallying and reckoning
about 100 present, counting children
d
: to call aloud (beats or time units)
Count cadence.
Count the eighth notes.
2
a
: consider, account
count oneself lucky
b
: to record as of an opinion or persuasion
Count me as uncommitted.
3
: to include or exclude by or as if by counting
Count me in.

intransitive verb

1
a
: to recite or indicate the numbers in order by units or groups
count by fives
b
: to count the units in a group
She was interrupted while she was counting.
2
: to rely or depend on someone or something
used with on
He counted on his parents to help with the expenses.
3
: add, total
It counts up to a sizable amount.
4
a
: to have value or significance
These are the people who really count.
His opinions don't count for much.
b
: to deserve to be regarded or considered
a job so easy it hardly counts as work

see also count out

count

2 of 3

noun (1)

plural counts
1
a
: the action or process of counting
b
: a total obtained by counting : tally
2
3
a
: allegation, charge
specifically : one separately stating the cause of action or prosecution in a legal declaration or indictment
guilty on all counts
b
: a specific point under consideration : issue
disagreeing on this count
4
: the total number of individual things in a given unit or sample obtained by counting all or a subsample of them
bacteria count
5
a
: the calling off of the seconds from one to ten when a boxer has been knocked down
He took a count of nine before getting up.
see also down for the count, take the count
b
: the number of balls and strikes charged to a baseball batter during one turn
The count stood at 3 and 2.
c
: score
tied the count with a minute to play
6
a
: a measurement of the thickness or fineness of yarn by determining the number of hanks or yards per pound it produces
b
: the number of threads per square inch in a cloth

count

3 of 3

noun (2)

: a European nobleman whose rank corresponds to that of a British earl
Phrases
and counting
: with more to come
in business for 50 years and counting
count heads or count noses
: to count the number present
count on
: to look forward to as certain : anticipate
counted on winning

Examples of count in a Sentence

Verb Count the plates on the table. She made sure to count her change. Count how many fingers I am holding up. He counted seven deer in the field. There are 10 days left until the end of school, counting from today. Keep counting until there are no more left to count. Don't interrupt me. I'm counting. Can your daughter count yet? There will be 150 people at the wedding, not counting children.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Spotter, which provides creators upfront financing in exchange for licensing their older YouTube videos as well as resources to grow their fanbases, counts MrBeast as a client. Todd Spangler, Variety, 18 Mar. 2024 The project’s group of volunteers spend the whales’ migration season counting the passing marine mammals and noting their appearance. Laylan Connelly, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024 Soon, even WhatsApp backups may count against your storage allotment. Boone Ashworth Lauren Goode, WIRED, 17 Mar. 2024 Until then, Bay FC should count on two-time Ballon d’Or Award finalist Oshoala, a goal-scoring machine for Barcelona during the last five years, to cause havoc on opposing defenders as the central striker. Jason Mastrodonato, The Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2024 Travers has also counted Francophone celebrities like Angele, Omar Sy, Tahar Rahim and Virginie Efira among his guests. Joshua Berlinger, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024 Soft wood breaks open, revealing beetles burrowing — too quick to count. Lori Vogt Rosone, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024 Under current law, Wisconsin election workers may not count absentee ballots until Election Day. Jessie Opoien, Journal Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2024 Whether dispatching demons or explaining an esoteric film title, Bob can be counted on to save the day. Ew Staff Updated, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024
Noun
Metts, Wallace and Carroll each were charged with first-degree murder while armed, two counts of kidnapping while armed, one count of armed robbery and four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, according to the U.S. attorney’s office for the District of Columbia. Peter Hermann, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024 As a result of the alleged incident, Hagerty was charged with three felonies: one count of assaulting a police officer and two counts of attempting to disarm a police officer. Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 19 Mar. 2024 Buzz: Just 258,000 California houses sold last year — the lowest sales count since the Great Recession ended. Jonathan Lansner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Mar. 2024 At least five people have been reported killed in the last week, according to a CNN count, and several dozen wounded. Andrew Carey and Maria Kostenko, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024 The registrar’s initial count selected a random 5% of the total petition forms in order to estimate the total. Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2024 The germ count in an average carpet was measured at 91,000 CFUs (colony-forming units). USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2024 They’re both charged with one count of misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death, according to prosecutors. Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024 He was charged with one count of rape by instrumentation and two counts of selling or furnishing alcohol to a minor, jail records show. Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'count.' 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

Verb and Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French cunter, counter, from Latin computare, from com- + putare to consider

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French cunte, from Late Latin comit-, comes, from Latin, companion, one of the imperial court, from com- + ire to go — more at issue entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near count

Cite this Entry

“Count.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/count. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

count

1 of 3 verb
1
a
: to add one by one so as to find the total number of a group of things
count the apples in a box
b
: to name the consecutive numbers up to and including
count ten
c
: to recite the numbers one by one or by groups
count to one hundred by fives
d
: to include in a tally
forty present, counting children
2
a
: consider sense 3
count myself lucky
b
: to include or leave out by or as if by counting
count me in
count me out
3
a
: to have value or importance
every vote counts
b
: to deserve to be regarded or considered
a job so easy it hardly counts as work
countable
-ə-bəl
adjective

count

2 of 3 noun
1
a
: the act or process of counting
b
: a total obtained by counting : tally
2
: a charge of wrongdoing
especially : a separate item in a legal accusation
guilty on all counts
3
: the number of balls and strikes charged to a baseball batter during one turn

count

3 of 3 noun
: a European nobleman whose rank is equal to that of a British earl
Etymology

Verb

Middle English counten "to add one by one," from early French counter (same meaning), derived from Latin computare "to count, compute" — related to account, compute

Noun

from early French cunte "nobleman," derived from Latin comes "companion, member of a royal court," literally, "one who goes with another," from com- "with" and -es, a form of ire "to go" — related to county, itinerary

Medical Definition

count

1 of 2 transitive verb
: to indicate or name by units or groups so as to find the total number of units involved

count

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: the action or process of counting
b
: a total obtained by counting
2
: the total number of individual things in a given unit or sample (as of blood) obtained by counting all or a subsample of them see addis count, blood count, cell count, red blood count, white count

Legal Definition

count

noun
: charge
specifically : a charge (as in a complaint or indictment) that separately states a cause of action or especially offense
guilty on all counts

More from Merriam-Webster on count

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!