Geheel

Geheel is a Dutch word that functions as a noun and as an adjective, meaning the whole or the entirety. In ordinary usage it appears in phrases such as het geheel (the entirety), als geheel (as a whole), and in constructions like in zijn geheel or in het geheel beschouwd, where it emphasizes completeness rather than magnitude. The term is used to refer to the complete set, body, or concept under discussion, in contrast with its parts or components.

Etymology and related terms: Geheel derives from Middle Dutch geheel and shares roots with cognate Germanic words for whole or total. It is related to the more common adjective heel, which can mean whole in some contexts but is also used as an intensifier meaning “very” in modern Dutch. The two forms appear in related but distinct ways in Dutch syntax and meaning.

Usage in mathematics: In Dutch mathematics, geheel getal is the term for an integer, i.e., a whole number that does not include fractional parts. The phrase distinguishes integers from rational numbers, decimals, and fractions. In educational and formal contexts, geheel is used to stress the notion of completeness or wholeness of a number set.

Summary: Geheel centers on the notion of completeness or totality in Dutch, with common uses in everyday language and more specialized uses in mathematics to denote integers. Its usage contrasts with parts, fractions, or partial perspectives, reinforcing the idea of the entire entity being considered.