proximity
Americannoun
noun
-
nearness in space or time
-
nearness or closeness in a series
Other Word Forms
- nonproximity noun
Etymology
Origin of proximity
First recorded in 1475–85; late Middle English; from Middle French proximité, from Latin proximitāt-, stem of proximitās “nearness, adjacent area, vicinity”
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.
At its top sits Orion, a capsule about the size of a small van, where the four astronauts will spend the next 10 days in close proximity.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
However, the “Hannah Montana” star did not end her mockery there—going on to accuse Cooper of feigning innocence about the proximity of their properties.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026
The proximity felt practical then—a way to reclaim minutes of sleep in a life structured by call schedules and pages.
From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026
The tradeoff for tight quarters is proximity to conveniences and culture not generally found in far-flung places.
From Salon • Mar. 23, 2026
The relative importance of local invention and of borrowing depends mainly on two factors: the ease of invention of the particular technology, and the proximity of the particular society to other societies.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
