To count means to say numbers in order to find out how many of something there are. When you count the students in your classroom, you might touch each desk and say “one, two, three” until you reach the last person. Counting helps us keep track of things, measure quantities, and make sense of the world around us.

People have been counting for thousands of years, long before written language existed. Ancient shepherds counted their sheep using pebbles or notches on sticks. Today we count everything from votes in an election to points in a basketball game to the days until summer vacation.

The word also means to matter or be important. When your teacher says “participation counts toward your grade,” she means it affects your final score. If a friend tells you “you can count on me,” they're promising you can rely on them when you need help.

You can also count something as part of a group. A referee might rule that a basket doesn't count because the player stepped out of bounds. When making plans with friends, you might ask “can I count you in?” to see if they want to join.

A count (as a noun) can mean the total number you reach: “The final count was twenty-seven students.” In European history, a count was also a nobleman, similar to an earl in England.