calibre
Britishnoun
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the diameter of a cylindrical body, esp the internal diameter of a tube or the bore of a firearm
-
the diameter of a shell or bullet
-
ability; distinction
a musician of high calibre
-
personal character
a man of high calibre
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of calibre
C16: from Old French, from Italian calibro, from Arabic qālib shoemaker's last, mould
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.
It remains to be seen whether he will have the same calibre of players this time around.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
Great save from Zion Suzuki who tipped McTominay's effort on to the post, but a player of his calibre should not be missing chances like that.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
And after analysing exclusive images obtained by BBC News Persian of spent casings recovered from the streets, Kotlarski confirmed they were 7.62x39mm rounds - the specific calibre for Kalashnikov-type rifles.
From BBC • Feb. 9, 2026
"It will be hard to find a man of his calibre," Nasreddine al-Maghribi told AFP at a cafe in Libyan capital Tripoli.
From Barron's • Dec. 24, 2025
I first got an idea of its calibre when I heard him preach in his own church at Morton.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
