Etymology, English, Total

Etymology

From Middle English total, from Old French total, from Medieval Latin tōtālis, from tōtus (“all, whole, entire”), of unknown origin. Perhaps related to Oscan 𐌕𐌏𐌖𐌕𐌏 (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.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈtəʊ.təl/
• (General American) enPR: tōʹtl, IPA^(key): /ˈtoʊ.təl/, [tʰoʊ̯ɾɫ], [tʰɔɾɫ]

Alternative forms

• totall (obsolete)

Noun

total (plural totals)

1. An amount obtained by the addition of smaller amounts.

   A total of £145 was raised by the bring-and-buy stall.

2. (informal,mathematics) Sum.

   The total of 4, 5 and 6 is 15.

Adjective

total (comparative more total, superlative most total)

1. 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.

2. (used as an intensifier) Complete; absolute.

   He is a total failure.

3. (mathematics) (of a function) Defined on all possible inputs.

   The Ackermann function is one of the simplest and earliest examples of a totalcomputable function that is not primitive recursive.

Verb

total (third-person singular simple present totals, present participle (UK) totalling or (US) totaling, simple past and past participle (UK) totalled or (US) totaled)

1. (transitive) To add up; to calculate the sum of.

   Synonym: sum

   When we totalled the takings, we always got a different figure.

2. To equal a total of; to amount to.

   That totals seven times so far.

3. (transitive, US, slang) To demolish; to wreck completely. (from total loss)

   Synonyms: demolish, trash, wreck

   Honey, I’m OK, but I’ve totaled the car.

4. (intransitive) To amount to; to add up to.

   It totals nearly a pound.