definitions

estimate

[ verb es-tuh-meyt; noun es-tuh-mit, -meyt ]
/ verb ˈɛs təˌmeɪt; noun ˈɛs tə mɪt, -ˌmeɪt /
||

verb (used with object), es·ti·mat·ed, es·ti·mat·ing.

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.
to form an opinion of; judge.

verb (used without object), es·ti·mat·ed, es·ti·mat·ing.

to make an estimate.

noun

an approximate judgment or calculation, as of the value, amount, time, size, or weight of something.
a judgment or opinion, as of the qualities of a person or thing.
a statement of the approximate charge for work to be done, submitted by a person or business firm ready to undertake the work.

Nearby words

esthetics, esthonia, esthonian, estienne, estimable, estimate, estimation, estimative, estimator, estipulate, estival

Origin of estimate

1525–35; < Latin aestimātus, past participle of aestimāre to value, estimate; see -ate1

Related forms

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

Examples from the Web for estimator

  • Mr. Reivers was a foreman for the company that my father was estimator for.

    The Snow-Burner|Henry Oyen

  • The estimator and his work; forms to use; general rules for estimating.

    The Uses of Italic|Frederick W. Hamilton

  • The Estimator of Destinies wheeled in his chair and cast a look of brotherly frankness into Ruggss eyes.

    Atlantic Narratives|Mary Antin

British Dictionary definitions for estimator (1 of 2)

estimator

/ (ˈɛstɪˌmeɪtə) /

noun

a person or thing that estimates
statistics a derived random variable that generates estimates of a parameter of a given distribution, such as ̄X, the mean of a number of identically distributed random variables X i . If ̄X is unbiased, ̄x, the observed value should be close to E (X i)See also sampling statistic

British Dictionary definitions for estimator (2 of 2)

estimate

verb (ˈɛstɪˌmeɪt)

to form an approximate idea of (distance, size, cost, etc); calculate roughly; gauge
(tr; may take a clause as object) to form an opinion about; judgeto estimate one's chances
to submit (an approximate price) for (a job) to a prospective client
(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 statisticsSee estimator

noun (ˈɛstɪmɪt)

Derived Forms

estimative, adjective

Word Origin for estimate

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