approximation

American  

[uh-prok-suh-mey-shuhn] / əˌprɒk səˈmeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. a guess or estimate.

   Ninety-three million miles is an approximation of the distance of the earth from the sun.

2. nearness in space, position, degree, or relation; proximity; closeness.

3. Mathematics, Physics. a result that is not necessarily exact, but is within the limits of accuracy required for a given purpose.

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approximation British  

/ əˌprɒksɪˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. the process or result of making a rough calculation, estimate, or guess

   he based his conclusion on his own approximation of the fuel consumption

2. an imprecise or unreliable record or version

   an approximation of what really happened

3. maths an inexact number, relationship, or theory that is sufficiently accurate for a specific purpose

4. maths

   1. an estimate of the value of some quantity to a desired degree of accuracy

   2. an expression in simpler terms than a given expression which approximates to it

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Other Word Forms

• approximative adjective

Etymology

Origin of approximation

1400–50; late Middle English approximacioun (< Middle French ) < Medieval Latin approximātiōn-, stem of approximātiō. See approximate, -ion

Example Sentences

When he’d put a full block between himself and the police officer, he quickly pulled up Google Translate, and after a few tries, keyed in the best approximation of what he’d heard the man say.

From Literature

It serves as a good approximation of labor demand and can provide some signal for the trajectory of monthly payroll growth.

From Barron's

Or they occasionally ponder their spending and saving, which gives them a rough approximation of their cash flow without helping them determine if they’re on track.

From MarketWatch

The final result is utterly unique to Blumberg and Fastvold, a period character study by way of trance and an experiential approximation of religious fervor.

From Los Angeles Times

"Previous methods used approximations that treat radiation as a sort of fluid, which does not reflect its actual behavior," Zhang explained.

From Science Daily