Bates number

noun

A number affixed to a document indicating its number in a series of documents, usually with respect to evidentiary documents being provided to the other party in a legal proceeding.

Similar
Bates stamp
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounBates number (plural Bates numbers)

plural Bates numbers

  1. lawA number affixed to a document indicating its number in a series of documents, usually with respect to evidentiary documents being provided to the other party in a legal proceeding.

    Synonyms: Bates stamp

verbBates number (third-person singular simple present Bates numbers, present participle Bates numbering, simple past and past participle Bates numbered)

present singular third person Bates numbers · participle present Bates numbering · participle past Bates numbered · past Bates numbered

  1. To stamp or label documents with Bates numbers.

    When Bates numbering documents for production, remove any documents among them that are not relevant or not covered by the request before Bates numbering […]

    2006, Robert J. MacPherson, Buckner Hinkle, W. Alexander Moseley, Discovery deskbook for construction disputes, page 73

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA number affixed to a document indicating its number in a series of documents, usually with respect to evidentiary documents being provided to the other party in a legal proceeding.

Similar
Bates stamp

Origin

Derived from Bates, the surname of the inventor of the first serial number-stamping machine.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Bates number. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Bates%20number

MLA

“Bates number.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Bates%20number. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Bates number,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Bates%20number.

Source: Bates number on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.