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precision

American  
[pri-sizh-uhn] / prɪˈsɪʒ ən /

noun

  1. the state or quality of being precise.

  2. accuracy; exactness.

    to arrive at an estimate with precision.
    Synonyms:
    rigor

  3. mechanical or scientific exactness.

    a lens ground with precision.

  4. punctiliousness; strictness.

    precision in one's business dealings.

  5. Mathematics. the degree to which the correctness of a quantity is expressed.

  6. Chemistry, Physics. the extent to which a given set of measurements of the same sample agree with their mean.

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or characterized by precision.

    precision swimming; precision instruments for aircraft.
precision British  
/ prɪˈsɪʒən /

noun

  1. the quality of being precise; accuracy

  2. (modifier) characterized by or having a high degree of exactness

    precision grinding

    a precision instrument
"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

Other Word Forms

  • overprecision noun
  • precisional adjective
  • precisionism noun
  • precisionist noun
  • ultraprecision noun

Etymology

Origin of precision

First recorded in 1630–40; from Latin praecīsiōn-, stem of praecīsiō “cutoff”; equivalent to precise + -ion

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.

Even “Severance,” which earned critical acclaim and awards recognition after its long-awaited second season, sparked debate among viewers about whether it matched the precision and novelty of its first.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

“Overall, this is an important step towards understanding variability and the potential for future precision approaches,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Flores was certainly the more active but few of those shots found the target as Scotney threw with precision and purpose - doing the cleaner work.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

It's a highly anticipated journey that demands exacting precision -- but there's still room for the astronauts to live out their childhood dreams of spaceflight.

From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026

Events were fitting together now with the precision of pentominoes.

From "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett

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.