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

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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

But in 2006, with the league now firmly established, it set its sights on a different caliber of player.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

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

From Salon ● May 16, 2026

Only a code breaker of Elizebeth’s caliber had a chance.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

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

Those measurements, 0.223 inch and 5.56 millimeters, represent the calibers of cartridges developed for use in those rifles, respectively.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2019

We have revolvers, rifles, shotguns, derringers and loads of pistols, with calibers of all kinds.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 12, 2016

Cannon for permanent fortifications were of various sizes and calibers, depending upon the terrain that had to be defended.

From Artillery Through the Ages A Short Illustrated History of Cannon, Emphasizing Types Used in America by Manucy, Albert

Related Words

• ability
• competence
• quality
• stature
• talent