integral

1 of 2

adjective

in·​te·​gral
(usually so in mathematics)
ˈin-ti-grəl How to pronounce integral (audio) in-ˈte-grəl How to pronounce integral (audio)
 also  -ˈtē-,
 also nonstandard  ˈin-trə-gəl
1
a
: essential to completeness : constituent
an integral part of the curriculum
b(1)
: being, containing, or relating to one or more mathematical integers
(2)
: relating to or concerned with mathematical integration or the results of mathematical integration
c
: formed as a unit with another part
a seat with integral headrest
2
: composed of constituent parts
3
: lacking nothing essential : entire
integrality noun
integrally
ˈin-ti-grə-lē How to pronounce integral (audio)
in-ˈte-grə-
 also  -ˈtē-
adverb

integral

2 of 2

noun

in·​te·​gral ˈin-ti-grəl How to pronounce integral (audio)
: the result of a mathematical integration compare definite integral, indefinite integral

Examples of integral in a Sentence

Adjective I do know that shoot-'em-ups (and saw-'em-ups) are likely to remain part of our lives, and that suggests a depressing idea: Maybe the love of violence is an integral part of human nature … Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Oct. 2007
Stuffed with peanut butter, celery is the quintessential after-school snack; diced, it provides an essential crunch to chicken and potato salads; buttered up, it is an integral part of Thanksgiving stuffing. Sara Dickerman, New York Times Magazine, 3 Sept. 2006
Sitting out on the grass … watching the freight trains roll by on the levee at two in the morning, drinking a beer and listening to the music drifting out of the club, is an integral part of the whole experience. Tom Piazza, Why New Orleans Matters, 2005
She had become an integral part of their lives. a car dealer respected for his integral honesty and straightforwardness with customers Noun The main tools used in the study of these functions are those we have already discussed: representation as integrals, power-series expansions, and differential equations. Robert S. Strichartz, The Way of Analysis, 2000
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
But spring training is relaxed and stress-free compared to the regular season, when Yamamoto will have to cope with the pressure to live up to his massive contract and to be an integral part of a team with a $300-million payroll and expectations of winning the World Series. Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024 Over the years, the Barranquilla, Colombia, artist became an integral part of various musical groups, including the Coro Santa Cecilia and Coro Madrigal, showcasing her talent and dedication to choral music. Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 4 Mar. 2024 Research Portals & Merchant Archives Understanding current affairs and economic trends plays an integral part in any company’s forward-looking success. Jacob Wolinsky, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Varying widely in style and decoration, these ceramics became an integral part of everyday life. Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 Manicurist Betina Goldstein, who frequently works with Robbie and has been an integral part of the Barbie press tour, looked to one of Barbie's most iconic accessories when doing Robbie's nails for the night: her shoes! Kara Nesvig, Allure, 26 Feb. 2024 In 2010, Vitalij joined TSO for the inaugural ‘Beethoven’s Last Night’ tour and seamlessly became an integral part of the band. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 22 Feb. 2024 Perez, who had his rookie season cut short due to right AC joint inflammation, is aiming to be an integral part of the Marlins’ rotation this season. Andre Fernandez, Miami Herald, 22 Feb. 2024 The well-being of employees is integral to their happiness. Nikola Minkov, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Noun
On the first day of the fall 2009 semester, dozens of University of Virginia students trickled into a lecture hall for a Calculus III course, dividing their focus between partial derivatives and multiple integrals. Byjasmine Li, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2024 No more will innocent citizens cower in fear at the thought of derivatives and integrals, or flash back in horror to the days of terror and confusion in high-school math class. Sean Carroll, Discover Magazine, 20 Nov. 2019 Over the past decade, UCLA revamped its calculus for life sciences courses, focusing them more strictly on math concepts and real-world biological questions, rather than on procedural rules for derivatives and integrals – which its advocates describe as a paradigm shift for calculus instruction. Daniel Mollenkamp, USA TODAY, 6 Sep. 2023 The most powerful formula in physics starts with a slender S, the symbol for a sort of sum known as an integral. Quanta Magazine, 6 Feb. 2023 The trick is to expand the integral from one to two dimensions. Rhett Allain, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2023 The oracular formula is known as the Feynman path integral. Quanta Magazine, 6 Feb. 2023 The cutoff independent physics, defined by the Euclidean functional integral over the 4-sphere admits only a finite number of instantons. Sean Carroll, Discover Magazine, 29 Aug. 2012 The path integral is a way of describing a particle's travels in terms of a quantum superposition of all possible routes. Ahmed Almheiri, Scientific American, 17 Aug. 2022

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

Adjective

see integer

Noun

see integer

First Known Use

Adjective

1551, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

circa 1741, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of integral was in 1551

Dictionary Entries Near integral

Cite this Entry

“Integral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/integral. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

integral

adjective
in·​te·​gral
ˈint-i-grəl (,
 usually so in mathematics  );
in-ˈteg-rəl,
 also  -ˈtēg-
1
: needed for completeness
a lens is an integral part of a camera
2
: of or relating to an integer
9 is an integral factor of 72
3
: made up of components that together make a whole
an integral locking system
4
: lacking nothing essential : entire
integrally
ˈint-i-grə-lē;
in-ˈteg-rə-
 also  -ˈtēg-
adverb

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