floating-point number

noun

A number written in the form a × bᶜ, e.g. 3.75 × 10³ (a being the mantissa, b, the base and c, the exponent).

Opposite
fixed-point number
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Meanings

nounfloating-point number (plural floating-point numbers)

plural floating-point numbers

  1. A number written in the form a × bᶜ, e.g. 3.75 × 10³ (a being the mantissa, b, the base and c, the exponent).
  2. computingA real number held as a pair of integers, one representing the mantissa and the other representing the exponent. The base is normally 10, 16 or 256 depending on the computing system.

    Antonyms: fixed-point number

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA real number held as a pair of integers, one representing the mantissa and the other representing the exponent. The base is normally 10, 16 or 256 depending on the computing system.

Opposite
fixed-point number
Broader
number

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 浮点数, 浮點數 /浮点数
  • 浮点数 (fúdiǎnshù)computing: real number held as a pair of integers, representing the mantissa and the exponent
  • 浮點數 /浮点数 (fúdiǎnshù)computing: real number held as a pair of integers, representing the mantissa and the exponent
Dutch vlottendekommagetal
  • vlottendekommagetalcomputing: real number held as a pair of integers, representing the mantissa and the exponent
Finnish liukuluku, liukuluku
  • liukulukunumber written in the form a × bc
  • liukulukucomputing: real number held as a pair of integers, representing the mantissa and the exponent
French flottant, float
  • flottantcomputing: real number held as a pair of integers, representing the mantissa and the exponent
  • floatcomputing: real number held as a pair of integers, representing the mantissa and the exponent
  • nombre flottantcomputing: real number held as a pair of integers, representing the mantissa and the exponent
German Float
  • Floatcomputing: real number held as a pair of integers, representing the mantissa and the exponent
Icelandic hlaupakommutala
  • hlaupakommutalacomputing: real number held as a pair of integers, representing the mantissa and the exponent
Japanese 浮動小数点数
  • 浮動小数点数 (fudō shōsūten sū)computing: real number held as a pair of integers, representing the mantissa and the exponent
Norwegian flyttall, flyttall
  • flyttallnumber written in the form a × bc
  • flyttallcomputing: real number held as a pair of integers, representing the mantissa and the exponent
Polish liczba zapisana w notacji wykładniczej, liczba zmiennoprzecinkowa
  • liczba zapisana w notacji wykładniczejnumber written in the form a × bc
  • liczba zmiennoprzecinkowacomputing: real number held as a pair of integers, representing the mantissa and the exponent
Portuguese float
  • floatcomputing: real number held as a pair of integers, representing the mantissa and the exponent
Swedish flyttal
  • flyttalcomputing: real number held as a pair of integers, representing the mantissa and the exponent
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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