Meanings
- not comparablemathematicsBeing the product of two consecutive integers.
1478 - Pierpaolo Muscharello, Algorismus p.163. Pronic root is as if you say, 9 times 9 makes 81. And now take the root of 9, which is 3, and this 3 is added above 81: it makes 84, so that the pronic root of 84 is said to be 3.
5 more examples
1794 - David Wilkie, Theory of interest, p.6, Edinburgh: Peter Hill, 1794. When a = 2, and d = 2 also, in this case, in equation 1st, s=n² + n = a pronic number, which is produced by the addition of even numbers in an arithmetic progression beginning at 2; and the pronic root scriptstyle n=(√4s+1-1)/2.
1804 - Paul Deighan, "Recommendatory letters", A complete treatise on arithmetic, rational and practical, vol.1, p.viii, Dublin: J. Jones, 1804. As I admire each proposition fair, the pronic number and the perfect square, the puzzling intricate equation solv'd, as Grecia's chief the Gordian knot dissolv'd; - John Bartley
A pronic number is that which is equal to the sum of a square number and its root. Thus, 6, 12, 20, 30, &c. are pronic numbers.
1814 - Charles Butler, Easy Introduction to Mathematics, p.96, Barlett & Newman, 1814It may be noted that if Lₙ is a pronic number, then Lₙ is two times a triangular number.
1998, Wayne L. McDaniel, “Pronic Lucas Numbers”, in The Fibonacci Quarterly, pages 60–622005 - G. K. Panda1 and P. K. Ray, "Cobalancing numbers and cobalancers", International Journal of Mathematics and Mathematical Sciences, vol.2005, iss.8, pp.1189-1200. Thus, our search for cobalancing number is confined to the pronic triangular numbers, that is, triangular numbers that are also pronic numbers.
Synonyms: heteromecic
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveBeing the product of two consecutive integers.
Origin
- Ancient Greekπρομήκης“elongated, oblong”
- Latinpromicus
- New Latinpronicus
- Englishpronic
Apparently from New Latin pronicus, a misspelling of Latin promicus, from Ancient Greek προμήκης (promḗkēs, “elongated, oblong”), but the spelling has been pronic from its earliest known occurrence in English (Leonhard Euler, Opera Omnia, series 1, volume 15).
More words from New Latin, Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish proninen
- proninenTranslations
French pronique, oblong
- proniqueTranslations
- oblongTranslations
- hétéroméciqueTranslations
German pronisch
- pronischTranslations
Cite this entry
pronic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pronic
“pronic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pronic. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pronic,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pronic.
Source: pronic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.