estimate

[ verb es-tuh-meyt; noun es-tuh-mit, -meyt ]
See synonyms for: estimateestimatedestimatesestimating on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),es·ti·mat·ed, es·ti·mat·ing.
  1. to form an approximate judgment or opinion regarding the worth, amount, size, weight, etc., of; calculate approximately: to estimate the cost of a college education.

  2. to form an opinion of; judge.

verb (used without object),es·ti·mat·ed, es·ti·mat·ing.
  1. to make an estimate.

noun
  1. an approximate judgment or calculation, as of the value, amount, time, size, or weight of something.

  2. a judgment or opinion, as of the qualities of a person or thing.

  1. a statement of the approximate charge for work to be done, submitted by a person or business firm ready to undertake the work.

Origin of estimate

1
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin aestimātus “valued,” past participle of aestimāre “to value, fix the value of”

Other words for estimate

Other words from estimate

  • es·ti·mat·ing·ly, adverb
  • es·ti·ma·tor, noun
  • pre·es·ti·mate, verb (used with object), pre·es·ti·mat·ed, pre·es·ti·mat·ing.
  • pre·es·ti·mate, noun
  • re·es·ti·mate, verb (used with object), re·es·ti·mat·ed, re·es·ti·mat·ing.
  • re·es·ti·mate, noun
  • self-es·ti·mate, noun
  • un·es·ti·mat·ed, adjective
  • well-es·ti·mat·ed, adjective

Words Nearby estimate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use estimate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for estimate

estimate

verb(ˈɛstɪˌmeɪt)
  1. to form an approximate idea of (distance, size, cost, etc); calculate roughly; gauge

  2. (tr; may take a clause as object) to form an opinion about; judge: to estimate one's chances

  1. to submit (an approximate price) for (a job) to a prospective client

  2. (tr) statistics to assign a value (a point estimate) or range of values (an interval estimate) to a parameter of a population on the basis of sampling statistics: See estimator

noun(ˈɛstɪmɪt)
  1. an approximate calculation

  2. a statement indicating the likely charge for or cost of certain work

  1. a judgment; appraisal; opinion

Origin of estimate

1
C16: from Latin aestimāre to assess the worth of, of obscure origin

Derived forms of estimate

  • estimative, adjective

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