Are number words nouns or adjectives?

Answer 1

The word 'number' or 'numbers' is a noun. Numerals are a class of noun as well.

The numbers themselves, however, may be either a noun or an adjective. Used on its own, a number is a noun (e.g. "see page nine"); when the number is used before a noun, the number is an adjective (there are nine pages) telling "how many."

*Some dictionaries class these numbers as 'determiners' instead.

Example sentences:

Noun: The number of digits in the average American telephone number is ten.

Adjective: There are ten digits in the average American telephone number.

Answer 2

A word for a number is both a noun and an adjective.

When a number is used on it's own, a number is a noun (see page nine).

When a number is used to describe a noun, a number is an adjective (there are nine pages).

Answer 3

No, numbers are not prepositions or adjectives. Alhough, it does depend on how it is used in the sentence. Numbers, however, will never be prepositions. For example:

The 300 knights fought.

Three-hundred is being used as an adjective. It is tellling how many knights fought.

Answer 4

One homograph is, the other is not.

The word number (numb-er, more numb) is a comparative adjective.

The word number (num-ber, a numeral) is not, although it is used as a noun adjunct in terms such as number wheel and number line. Number and numeral are nouns, and number can be a verb meaning to count.

Answer 5

The number of a noun is a singular noun, one person, place, or thing; and a plural noun, two or more persons, places, or things.

Answer 6

Yes. When a number is used to describe how many of an object, it is an adjective (e.g. four boys, six cars). The number itself would be a noun.

Answer 7

They can be but it depends on the way you use them.

Answer 8

An adjective of number tell how many of the noun it is describing. Any number can be used as an adjective.

Example: Bob has five children.