caliber

American  

[kal-uh-ber] / ˈkæl ə bər /

especially British, calibre

noun

calibers plural

1. the diameter of something of circular section, especially that of the inside of a tube.

   a pipe of three-inch caliber.

2. Ordnance. the diameter of the bore of a gun taken as a unit of measurement.

3. degree of capacity or competence; ability.

   a mathematician of high caliber.

4. degree of merit or excellence; quality.

   the high moral caliber of the era.

   Synonyms:

   distinction, worth

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• calibered
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• calibers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of caliber

1560–70; variant of calibre < Middle French ≪ Arabic qālib mold, last < Greek kālápous shoe last, equivalent to kāla- combining form of kâlon wood + poús foot ( see -pod)

Explanation

Caliber is a kind of measurement that can describe either the level of a person’s ability or the diameter of a gun barrel. Your dad might be a high-caliber marksman, especially when using his .22 caliber rifle. Caliber describes the level of ability a person has achieved in a profession. For example, you probably wouldn't want to hire a low-caliber plumber when the toilet breaks. The caliber of an institution or a program describes the height of its standards. You might be planning to attend the high-caliber veterinary program at your state university. Caliber is also the measurement of the width inside a gun barrel, and its corresponding bullets.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

caliber calibers

“Properties of this caliber, with such a rich legacy and expansive acreage, seldom become available.”

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026

With only a handful of lyrics, she revisits a million lifetimes replete with monumental change and insights only an artist of her caliber could convey.

From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026

After reading it, a former OpenAI researcher did some back-of-the-envelope math and estimated it took less than 32 hours and $1,000 in tokens, a bargain for a result of this caliber.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026

Performers of Prince and Lamar’s caliber enjoy the spoils of their popularity.

From Salon ● May 16, 2026

As the accused took turns cross-examining the witnesses, the Crown and the prosecution began to get a sense for the first time of the true caliber of the men and women on trial.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

The Czechoslovak Group, which acquired a German nitrocellulose facility, aims to secure the entire supply chain for artillery shells of various calibers within company facilities across several European countries by year-end.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

There are thousands of "elite" teams like that city's Scorpion unit and they come in all calibers, shapes, and sizes.

From Salon ● Feb. 28, 2023

Many include the numbers .223 and 5.56, which represent the calibers of cartridges developed for use in the AR-15 and M-16.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2022

Was it pressing, or are the calibers of the tiers an issue more pressing?

From Washington Post ● Dec. 31, 2020

In the course of the day's fighting the British captured over 7,000 prisoners and a large number of guns of all calibers.

From The Story of the Great War, Volume VI (of VIII) History of the European War from Official Sources by Reynolds, Francis J. (Francis Joseph)

Related Words

• ability
• competence
• quality
• stature
• talent