accuracy
Americannoun
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the condition or quality of being true, correct, or exact; freedom from error or defect; precision or exactness; correctness.
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Chemistry, Physics. the extent to which a given measurement agrees with the standard value for that measurement.
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Mathematics. the degree of correctness of a quantity, expression, etc.
noun
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faithful measurement or representation of the truth; correctness; precision
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physics chem the degree of agreement between a measured or computed value of a physical quantity and the standard or accepted value for that quantity
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of accuracy
First recorded in 1655–65; accur(ate) + -acy
Explanation
Accuracy refers to a lack of mistakes or errors. "I type very fast, but the accuracy of my typing is n't very goode." Accuracy is a must for anyone who works in a precise profession. Would you trust a surgeon who lacks accuracy to remove your appendix? His lack of precision might result in the accidental removal of your spleen. A meteorologist with questionable accuracy isn't going to be popular either, especially when it rains every time he predicts a sunny day.
Vocabulary lists containing accuracy
The Scientific Method
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Common Core Grades 7–8, List 1
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Word Generation Science - Measurement
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The main cause was "an unforeseen change in the radio frequency environment occurring after take-off," Skymagic said, triggering some drones "to enact failsafe landing procedures in response to compromised positional accuracy".
From BBC • May 26, 2026
In tests involving 197 participants, the researchers said the system identified individuals with nearly 100% accuracy.
From Science Daily • May 23, 2026
A deep-learning model called AlexNet, trained on Nvidia GPUs, wowed the AI community with its record-breaking accuracy in identifying images.
From MarketWatch • May 23, 2026
The fidelity, or the accuracy, of a system’s quantum state.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
We shall see that although the uncertainty principle places limitations on the accuracy of all our predictions, it may at the same time remove the fundamental unpredictability that occurs at a space-time singularity.
From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
