Definition of "divisor" in English

noun

1. (arithmetic) In an expression involving division, the number by which another number is being divided.

   • In "42 ÷ 3" the divisor is the 3.

2. An integer that divides another integer an integral number of times, the former being called a divisor of the latter.

   • 10 is a divisor of 100, but not of 101.
   • The positive divisors of 6 are 1, 2, 3 and 6.

3. (mathematics, algebraic geometry) Any of several kinds of formal object associated to an algebraic variety, scheme, etc., which play a role similar to that of homology or cohomology groups in the study of topological spaces.