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

But that’s not a simple button the Dodgers can press, especially against pitchers of Sale’s caliber.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

Pursuing an adaptation of this caliber feels like a losing battle, something a filmmaker does just to prove that they can.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026

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

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026

Like any touring comedian of his caliber, he admits that his schedule is constantly in flux.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026

But to play in an international tournament of the caliber announced, he had to spend much more time at careful, precise study, analysis, and memorization.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

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

Rosas estimated about 2,000 rounds of various calibers of ammunition were recovered.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2024

The Ukrainians that day could use their 155mm rounds while saving their Soviet calibers.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 8, 2023

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

For this reason, Spanish demicannon were as long as 24 calibers and the quarter-cannon ran up to 28.

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

Related Words

• ability
• competence
• quality
• stature
• talent