significant

Everyday

1. Important; worth noticing. tree →
2. Large enough to matter: a significant amount. tree →
3. Having a special meaning: a significant look. tree →
4. (maths) Significant figures are the digits that matter in a number for rounding. tree →

In the lessons

In maths, rounding to significant figures: 4 586 to 2 significant figures is 4 600. In science, a significant result is one that is not just chance. In history, a significant event changed things. Phrases: significant figures, significant difference, significant other.

Examples

• That was a significant day in history. tree →
• There was a significant drop in temperature. tree →
• Round 0.04567 to 2 significant figures. tree →
• She gave him a significant look. tree →
• We saw no significant difference between the plants. tree →
• A significant number of pupils walk to school. tree →
• ‘Here she broke off with a significant look, and mounting my enemy the unicorn, speedily disappeared. tree →

Note

Adverb: significantly; noun: significance. Opposite: insignificant. Maths: in significant figures, the first non-zero digit is the first significant figure; zeros at the start do not count.

In Jewish tradition

In maths, rounding to significant figures: 4 586 to 2 significant figures is 4 600. In science, a significant result is one that is not just chance. In history, a significant event changed things. Phrases: significant figures, significant difference, significant other.

Note

Adverb: significantly; noun: significance. Opposite: insignificant. Maths: in significant figures, the first non-zero digit is the first significant figure; zeros at the start do not count.