rounding

[ roun-ding ]

adjective

1. round or nearly round.
2. of, relating to, or used for making something round.
3. turning, curving, or circling around.
4. pertaining to the mathematical process of rounding:

   a rounding error.

noun

1. the act or process of making something round.
2. Mathematics.
   1. the process of replacing a number by another number of approximately the same value but having fewer digits:

      To the nearest dollar, the rounding of $27.68 yields $28.

   2. a similar process that specifies one of various rules. Generally, the number is first truncated to one or two digits more than is desired; then the last one or two digits are adjusted in a specified way in order to reflect the magnitude of the original number. In rounding the final digits, 0–4 are simply dropped, 6–9 are dropped after the preceding digit is increased by 1, and 5 is handled in various ways depending on the surrounding digits and the particular convention being followed. Compare truncate ( def 2 ).

rounding

/ ˈraʊndɪŋ /

noun

1. computing a process in which a number is approximated as the closest number that can be expressed using the number of bits or digits available

Word History and Origins

Origin of rounding¹

First recorded in 1545–55; round ¹ + -ing ², -ing ¹

Example Sentences

In her findings, 63 percent of temperature samples were biased by this double-rounding.

From Popular-Science

Scrapping the quail research might score some easy political points, but it was a rounding error on these agencies’ budgets.

From Washington Post

Still, Microsoft sees a lot, so any difference with actual numbers is likely a rounding error.

From Ars Technica

At Trilogy, the work of leaders includes investing in employees’ growth and continuing the “rounding” that has long kept executives close to what’s happening at the front lines.

From Fortune

If we don’t do something to offset the damage to our retirement system, today’s problems could end up looking like a rounding error compared to what the future holds.

From ProPublica

Democrats were working hard to pass a budget in a divided government, and Yee was charged in part with rounding up the votes.

From The Daily Beast

And what could be more honorable than rounding up your besties to pay homage to a hallowed pop deity?

From The Daily Beast

The White House has been rounding up senators to vouch for her.

From The Daily Beast

Rounding out the Big Three, GM was also up 15 percent year over year.

From The Daily Beast

By August we were rounding up any young man we found, whether we were looking for him or not.

From The Daily Beast

On rounding a point a few minutes after, he was again arrested by a scene which, while it charmed, amazed him.

From Project Gutenberg

In rounding Point Bradley, there is a rocky shelf that runs off the point for perhaps one hundred yards.

From Project Gutenberg

Rounding a corner, Black Hood sighted a taxi cab cruising along.

From Project Gutenberg

Below it is the café and restaurant de la Rotonde, a very well-built looking place, with its rounding façade on the corner.

From Project Gutenberg

The men were now rounding up their charges into an open meadow half a mile distant, preparatory to an early start in the morning.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bend
• loop