floats: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumNeutral to informal for most senses; 'float' as a data type is technical/formal.
Quick answer
What does “floats” mean?
The plural noun primarily refers to objects designed to stay on the surface of a liquid, or the action of remaining buoyant.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The plural noun primarily refers to objects designed to stay on the surface of a liquid, or the action of remaining buoyant.
1. Objects attached to a fishing line. 2. Parade vehicles carrying displays. 3. Small sums of money for making change. 4. Computer science: a data type for decimal numbers.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Meaning as 'a small sum of cash for making change' is more common in UK English (e.g., 'shop float'). In US, 'parade floats' is a dominant cultural association. The verb usage is largely identical.
Connotations
UK: Strong association with fishing and cash floats. US: Strong association with parades (e.g., Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade).
Frequency
As a plural noun, 'floats' is of similar medium frequency in both dialects, but the contexts triggering it differ.
Grammar
How to Use “floats” in a Sentence
[NP] floats [PrepP on/in the water][NP] keeps the floats [AdjP][Sbj] checks the cash floatVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “floats” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The buoyancy aid floats easily in the calm harbour water.
- Dust floats in the sunbeam coming through the window.
American English
- The toy boat floats perfectly in the pool.
- An idea floated through his mind.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The petty cash float needs to be reconciled every Friday.
Academic
The experimental apparatus included several polystyrene floats for buoyancy measurement.
Everyday
We watched the colourful floats go down the high street during the carnival.
Technical
The program declares the variables as floats to handle decimal calculations.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “floats”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “floats”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “floats”
- Using 'floats' as an uncountable noun (e.g., 'much floats' instead of 'many floats').
- Confusing 'float' (verb) with 'flow' (e.g., 'The boat flows' instead of 'The boat floats').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, its most common meanings are for objects on water (like fishing floats) and for decorated vehicles in a parade. It also has specific meanings in finance (cash float) and computing (float data type).
A 'buoy' is often a larger, anchored navigation marker. A 'float' is generally smaller, unattached, and used for fishing, swimming, or decoration. However, they can be synonyms in some contexts.
Yes, 'floats' is the third-person singular present tense of the verb 'to float' (e.g., 'He floats', 'It floats'). The plural noun and the verb form are spelled identically.
It's short for 'floating-point number'. The decimal point can 'float' or be placed anywhere relative to the significant digits of the number, allowing a wide range of values.
The plural noun primarily refers to objects designed to stay on the surface of a liquid, or the action of remaining buoyant.
Floats is usually neutral to informal for most senses; 'float' as a data type is technical/formal. in register.
Floats: in British English it is pronounced /fləʊts/, and in American English it is pronounced /floʊts/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “On cloud nine (similar buoyant feeling, but not directly using 'floats')”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
FLOats On Top (FLO-OTS): Things that FLOAT stay on the surface.
Conceptual Metaphor
SUCCESS IS UP / LACK OF DIFFICULTY IS FLOATING ('The idea floated effortlessly through the approval process.')
Practice
Quiz
In a UK retail context, what is a 'float' most likely to be?