approximate

[ adjective uh-prok-suh-mit; verb uh-prok-suh-meyt ]

/ adjective əˈprɒk sə mɪt; verb əˈprɒk səˌmeɪt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR approximate ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

near or approaching a certain state, condition, goal, or standard.

nearly exact; not perfectly accurate or correct: The approximate time was 10 o'clock.

near; close together.

very similar; nearly identical.

verb (used with object), ap·prox·i·mat·ed, ap·prox·i·mat·ing.

to come near to; approach closely to: to approximate an ideal.

to estimate: We approximated the distance at three miles.

to simulate; imitate closely: The motions of the stars can be approximated in a planetarium.

to bring near.

verb (used without object), ap·prox·i·mat·ed, ap·prox·i·mat·ing.

to come near in position, character, amount, etc.

Nearby words

approver, approving, approx., approximal, approximant, approximate, approximately, approximation, approximation suture, appt., apptd.

Origin of approximate

1400–50; late Middle English < Late Latin approximātus drawn near to, approached (past participle of approximāre). See ap-¹, proximate

Related formsap·prox·i·mate·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for approximately

Approximately 100 Romney fans were invited on the call, he said.
‘Ready for Romney’ Is Amateur Hour|Tim Mak|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
All in all, approximately 13,000 Allied POWs and 90,000 Asian laborers perished while working on the railway.
Riding Thailand’s WWII Death Railway|Liza Foreman|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Wetzel told me that at approximately the 10-year mark, lifers tend to become altruistic and “start getting involved.”
Here’s a Reform Even the Koch Brothers and George Soros Can Agree On|Tina Brown|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Of the approximately 55,000 square miles of land in New York State, less than 500 of them are in New York City.
Andrew Cuomo Ignores Rural New York|David Fontana|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Since taking office, Obama has had approximately 280 federal judicial nominees confirmed.
Who Controls the Senate Controls the Courts|Geoffrey R. Stone|November 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Approximately 75 per cent of Chicago's population is of foreign birth or parentage.
The Greatest Highway in the World|Anonymous
We say approximately, since there is considerable variation as may be noted by a glance at the Reference List.
Canada: Its Postage Stamps and Postal Stationery|Clifton Armstrong Howes
The estate, sir, is now approximately valued at forty-seven thousand per annum.
The World's Greatest Books, Vol VI.|Various
These two are of about equal length, approximately 530 miles.
Railroads: Rates and Regulations|William Z. Ripley
He quoted proverbs, was full of strange saws, foretold the future—approximately.
The Surprises of Life|Georges Clemenceau

British Dictionary definitions for approximately (1 of 2)

approximately

/ (əˈprɒksɪmɪtlɪ) /

adverb

close to; around; roughly or in the region of

British Dictionary definitions for approximately (2 of 2)

approximate

adjective (əˈprɒksɪmɪt)

almost accurate or exact

inexact; rough; looseonly an approximate fit

much alike; almost the same

near; close together

verb (əˈprɒksɪˌmeɪt)

(usually foll by to) to come or bring near or close; be almost the same (as)

maths to find an expression for (some quantity) accurate to a specified degreeSee accurate (def. 4)

Derived Formsapproximative, adjective

Word Origin for approximate

C15: from Late Latin approximāre, from Latin proximus nearest, from prope near

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for approximately (1 of 3)

approximately

adv.

1742, from approximate (adj.) + -ly (2).

Word Origin and History for approximately (1 of 3)

approximate

adj.

early 15c., from Latin approximatus, past participle of approximare "to come near to," from ad- "to" (see ad-) + proximare "come near," from proximus "nearest," superlative of prope "near" (see propinquity).

Word Origin and History for approximately (2 of 3)

approximate

early 15c., "to bring or put close," from approximate (adj.). Meaning "to come close" is from 1789. Related: Approximated; approximating.

Medicine definitions for approximately

approximate

[ ə-prŏk′sə-māt′ ]

v.

To bring together, as cut edges of tissue.

adj.

Relating to the contact surfaces, either proximal or distal, of two adjacent teeth; proximate.

Close together. Used of the teeth in the human jaw.

approximate

adjective

verb (used with object), ap·prox·i·mat·ed, ap·prox·i·mat·ing.

verb (used without object), ap·prox·i·mat·ed, ap·prox·i·mat·ing.

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Nearby words

Origin of approximate

Examples from the Web for approximately

British Dictionary definitions for approximately (1 of 2)

approximately

adverb

British Dictionary definitions for approximately (2 of 2)

approximate

adjective (əˈprɒksɪmɪt)

verb (əˈprɒksɪˌmeɪt)

Word Origin for approximate

Word Origin and History for approximately (1 of 3)

approximately

Word Origin and History for approximately (1 of 3)

approximate

Word Origin and History for approximately (2 of 3)

approximate

Medicine definitions for approximately

approximate

v.

adj.