Enumeration: meaning, definitions and examples

Formal or technical context, often used in documentation, programming, or scientific reports.

• The enumeration of the species found in the area took several months to complete
• In programming, enumeration allows for the assignment of names to numbers

Commonly used to refer to the action of making a list, whether written or verbal, in various informal and formal contexts.

• I'm listing the tasks we need to complete for the project
• She was listing all the things she wanted to buy at the store

Everyday use, suitable for both informal and formal settings when pertaining to the action of determining the number of items.

• She started counting the number of apples in the basket
• Counting the votes took all night

Used when referring to the action of repeating something aloud, often from memory; can imply a formal or ceremonial context.

• The recitation of the poem moved the audience to tears
• Students practiced the recitation of historical speeches

Used when counting items or individuals in a systematic and detailed way. Often in administrative or academic settings.

• The enumeration of the votes took several hours.
• The research project included the enumeration of various species in the forest.

Used specifically for counting the population of a country or region, typically organized by a government.

• The government conducts a census every ten years.
• Accurate census data helps in effective planning and resource allocation.

Used when conducting a detailed study or gathering data through questionnaires or interviews, often for research purposes.

• They conducted a survey to understand customer satisfaction.
• The survey included questions about employees' work environment.

Used in situations where you're keeping a running count or score, often in a casual or informal setting.

• The teacher kept a tally of the students' participation.
• We'll need to tally up the results after the event.

Use when you list items one by one, often in an ordered sequence. Common in formal or technical writing.

• The book includes an enumeration of all the species found in the rainforest
• The agenda was presented with a clear enumeration of topics

Best suited for creating a system to locate and retrieve information, like in books, databases, or search engines.

• The librarian spent hours indexing the new arrivals
• The search engine uses indexing to quickly retrieve relevant data

Appropriate for assigning names or tags to items for identification purposes. Common in everyday tasks and scientific contexts.

• She spent the afternoon labeling all the containers
• Proper labeling of the samples ensured there were no mix-ups

Suitable when you are arranging items based on a specific sequence or criteria. Can be used in various contexts, from organizing things to making decisions.

• The data was carefully ordered from oldest to newest
• Ordering the files alphabetically will make them easier to find