Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

limit

/ˈlɪm.ɪt/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.70 in modern English

Syllables: li-mit
IPA: /ˈlɪm.ɪt/

7

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

2

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A restriction; a bound beyond which one may not go or proceed.

noun

A value to which a sequence converges. Equivalently, the common value of the upper limit and the lower limit of a sequence: if the upper and lower limits are different, then the sequence has no limit (i.e., does not converge).

noun

Any of several abstractions of this concept of limit.

noun

The cone of a diagram through which any other cone of that same diagram can factor uniquely.

noun

noun

The final, utmost, or furthest point; the border or edge.

noun

The space or thing defined by limits.

Obsolete

noun

That terminates a period of time; hence, the period itself; the full time or extent.

Obsolete

Example Sentences

"There are several existing limits to executive power."
"Two drinks is my limit tonight."
"It is the conductor which communicates to the inhabitants of regions beyond its limit […]"
"Ever he would wander, selfcompelled, to the extreme limit of his cometary orbit, beyond the fixed stars and variable suns and telescopic planets, astronomical waifs and strays, to the extreme boundary of space […]"
"No limit / Not none that I can see / No limit / Not one, not one / Not one for you or me / No limit / Well, it can go until eternity, yeah / No limits to our love, girl"
"At the time, there seemed to be no limit to the size of ever-larger private equity deals, with banks falling over each other to arrange financing on generous terms and to invest money from their own private equity arms."

Etymology

From Middle English limit, from Old French limit, from oblique stem of Latin līmes, līmit- (“a cross-path or balk between fields, hence a boundary, boundary line or wall, any path or road, border, limit”). Displaced native Old English ġemǣre. Doublet of limes.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: limit, līmes, limiten, limiter, līmitō

Usage

Inflected Forms

limits (plural) limits (present, singular) limiting (participle, present) limited (participle, past) limited (past)

Derived Forms

antilimit colimit limital limitarian limitation limitive limitless lintel overlimit sublimit superlimit unlimit

Phrases

age limit Armstrong limit Atterberg limit Betz limit blowdown limit Bremermann's limit cash limit central limit theorem

Frequently Paired Words

bound function

Synonyms

inverse limit projective limit check straiten behedge blunt crimp foreclose delay difficult diminish forestay

Antonyms

expand release

Rhymes With

delimit

Questions

How do you pronounce limit?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈlɪm.ɪt/.
What does limit mean?: A restriction; a bound beyond which one may not go or proceed.
Where does limit come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce limit

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “limit”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈlɪm.ɪt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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