significant digits


plural noun Mathematics.

all the nonzero digits of a number and the zeros that are included between them or that are final zeros and signify accuracy: The significant digits of 0.01230 are 1, 2, 3, and the final 0, which signifies accuracy to five places.
Also called significant figures.

Origin of significant digits

First recorded in 1920–25

British Dictionary definitions for significant figures

significant figures

esp US significant digits


pl n

the figures of a number that express a magnitude to a specified degree of accuracy, rounding up or down the final figure 3.141 59 to four significant figures is 3.142
the number of such figures 3.142 has four significant figures Compare decimal place (def. 2)

Scientific definitions for significant figures

significant digits
[ sĭg-nĭfĭ-kənt ]

The digits in a decimal number that are warranted by the accuracy of the means of measurement. Significant digits are all the numbers beginning with the leftmost nonzero digit, or beginning with the first digit after the decimal point if there are no nonzero digits to the left of the decimal point, and extending to the right. For example, 302, 3.20, and 0.023 all have three significant digits.