rounding

American  

[roun-ding] / ˈraʊn dɪŋ /

adjective

1. round or nearly round.

2. of, relating to, or used for making something round.

3. turning, curving, or circling around.

4. pertaining to the mathematical process of rounding.

   a rounding error.

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noun

1. the act or process of making something round.

2. Mathematics.

   1. the process of replacing a number by another number of approximately the same value but having fewer digits.

      To the nearest dollar, the rounding of $27.68 yields $28.

   2. a similar process that specifies one of various rules. Generally, the number is first truncated to one or two digits more than is desired; then the last one or two digits are adjusted in a specified way in order to reflect the magnitude of the original number. In rounding the final digits, 0–4 are simply dropped, 6–9 are dropped after the preceding digit is increased by 1, and 5 is handled in various ways depending on the surrounding digits and the particular convention being followed.

rounding British  

/ ˈraʊndɪŋ /

noun

1. computing a process in which a number is approximated as the closest number that can be expressed using the number of bits or digits available

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Etymology

Origin of rounding

First recorded in 1545–55; round ¹ + -ing ², -ing ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rounding

Two-tenths of a percent is a rounding error on a rounding error, and I wouldn’t bet against a stadium full of Iraqis and Norwegians sorting one another more finely to clear it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

None of this moves Alphabet’s stock on its own, since Waymo is still a rounding error beside search and cloud.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 24, 2026

Gregory Jones KC, for Vale of Glamorgan council, called the proposal "a logical rounding off of Llantwit Major rather than an intrusion into untouched landscape".

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

She’s 26, and he’s “a 50-year-old man, and that’s when I’m rounding down.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026

“What?” cried Sir Kay, suddenly rounding upon him.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Related Words

• bend
• loop