Dictionary

approximate en · ADJ · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /əˈpɹɑk.sɪ.mət/ (US)
• /əˈpɹɑk.sə.mət/ (US)
• /əˈpɹɒk.sɪ.mət/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Latin proximō Latin approximō Latin approximātusder. Middle English approximat English approximate From Middle English approximat(e) (“close, near (to); similar; intimate”, also used as the past participle of approximaten), from Latin approximātus, the perfect passive participle of approximō (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), further from ad- (“to, towards, at”) + proximō (“to come near”). The noun was derived from the adjective through substantivization, see -ate (noun-forming suffix). See also proximate. By surface analysis, ap- + proximate.

Meanings

1. Approaching; proximate; nearly resembling.
2. Nearing correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate.
   • approximate results or values
   • NASA’s Genesis spacecraft has on board an ion monitor to record the speed, density, temperature and approximate composition of the solar wind ions.
3. Drawn close together, but not united.

Forms

Antonyms

precise · exact

Deriveds

approximately · approximative · approximateness · approximeeting · approximation

Synonyms

close · crude

Translations (68)

sh при́ближан (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · es aproximado (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · hu megközelítő (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · ru прибли́женный (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · da nær (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · ar تَقْرِيبِيّ (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · da omtrentlig (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · nl benaderend (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · hu hozzávetőleges (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · tl madapit (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · bg приблизи́телен (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · fi likimääräinen (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · az təqribi (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · fi suuntaa antava (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · ca aproximat (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · nn omtrentleg (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · sk približný (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · ml ഏകദേശ (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · hy մոտավոր (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · tl madapit (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · sl približen (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · fr approximatif (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · cy bras (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · cs přibližný (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · ml ഏകദേശമായ (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · it approssimato (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · sh príbližan (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · nl bij benadering (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · ca aproximat (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · de circa (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · nl ongeveer (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · el παραπλήσιος (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · sv approximativ (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · sv ungefärlig (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · vi xêm xêm (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · el χονδρικός (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · it approssimativo (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · pl przybliżony (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · de ungefähr (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · de zirka (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · ru приблизи́тельный (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · de ungefähr (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · de circa (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · fi arvioitu (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · ru приме́рный (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · mi āwhiwhi (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · ml ഏകദേശ (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · fi likimääräinen (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · fi läheinen (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · pt aproximado (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · de annähernd (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · bg приблизи́телен (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · mk приближен (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · pt aproximado (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · fr approximant (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · es aproximado (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · az təxmini (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · mi āwhiwhiwhi (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · de zirka (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · uk прибли́зний (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · hu körülbelüli (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · fi likiarvoinen (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · cy bras (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · nb omtrentlig (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · vi xấp xỉ (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · be прыблі́зны (near correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate;) · de annähernd (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling) · cs přibližný (approaching; proximate; nearly resembling)

approximate en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /əˈpɹɑk.sɪ.mət/ (US)
• /əˈpɹɑk.sə.mət/ (US)
• /əˈpɹɒk.sɪ.mət/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Latin proximō Latin approximō Latin approximātusder. Middle English approximat English approximate From Middle English approximat(e) (“close, near (to); similar; intimate”, also used as the past participle of approximaten), from Latin approximātus, the perfect passive participle of approximō (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), further from ad- (“to, towards, at”) + proximō (“to come near”). The noun was derived from the adjective through substantivization, see -ate (noun-forming suffix). See also proximate. By surface analysis, ap- + proximate.

Meanings

1. (rare) An approximate result or quantity.

Forms

approximate en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /əˈpɹɒk.sɪ.meɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /əˈpɹɑk.sə.meɪt/ (US)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English approximaten (“to bring, put close (to)”), from approximat(e) (“close, near (to); similar; intimate”, also used as the past participle of approximaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), borrowed from Latin approximātus, see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more.

Meanings

1. (ambitransitive) To estimate.
   • I approximated the value of pi by taking 22 divided by 7.
   • As yet, we don't know what the comparable figures will be like for the current financial year which ends in March 2022, but we can have a good stab at approximating them. 2022 January 12, Sir Michael Holden, “Reform of the workforce or death by a thousand cuts?”, in RAIL, number 948, page 22:
2. (transitive) To come near to; to approach.
   • The telescope approximates perfection. 1802, Jedidiah Morse, The American Universal Geography:
   • When you follow two separate chains of thought, Watson, you will find some point of intersection which should approximate to the truth. 1911, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax:
3. (transitive) To carry or advance near; to cause to approach.
   • to approximate the inequality of riches to the level of nature 1790 November, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event. […], London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

reapproximate · underapproximate · overapproximate · approximable

Translations (43)

es estrechar (to carry or advance near; to cause to approach) · eo proksimumi (to come near to; to approach) · fi lähestyä (to come near to; to approach) · ru приближаться (to estimate) · de annähern (to carry or advance near; to cause to approach) · mi whakaawhiwhi (to carry or advance near; to cause to approach) · el πλησιάζω (to come near to; to approach) · fi approksimoida (to estimate) · fi estimoida (to estimate) · pl aproksymować (to estimate) · bg приближавам се до (to come near to; to approach) · hu megközelít (to come near to; to approach) · mi whakatata (to come near to; to approach) · es juntar (to carry or advance near; to cause to approach) · da tilnærme (to carry or advance near; to cause to approach) · mi āwhiwhiwhi (to come near to; to approach) · ru почти равняться (to estimate) · he שִׁעֵר (to estimate) · pt aproximar-se (to come near to; to approach) · pt aproximar (to estimate) · da nærme (to come near to; to approach) · el προσεγγίζω (to estimate) · fi arvioida (to estimate) · es apropincuarse (to come near to; to approach) · mi whakaawhiwhi (to estimate) · es acercar (to carry or advance near; to cause to approach) · da nærme (to carry or advance near; to cause to approach) · da tilnærme (to come near to; to approach) · es acercarse (to come near to; to approach) · fi lähentyä (to come near to; to approach) · el πλησιάζω (to carry or advance near; to cause to approach) · el προσεγγίζω (to come near to; to approach) · el προσεγγίζω (to carry or advance near; to cause to approach) · de annähernd erreichen (to come near to; to approach) · de annähern (to come near to; to approach) · fr approximer (to carry or advance near; to cause to approach) · mi whakaāwhiwhiwhi (to estimate) · pl zaproksymować (to estimate) · fr approximer (to come near to; to approach) · pt aproximar (to carry or advance near; to cause to approach) · fi lähentää (to carry or advance near; to cause to approach) · es aproximarse (to come near to; to approach) · bg приближа́вам се до (to carry or advance near; to cause to approach)