approximate

adjective

/əˈprɒksɪmət/

/əˈprɑːksɪmət/

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almost correct or accurate, but not completely so
- an approximate number/total/cost
- The cost given is only approximate.
- Use these figures as an approximate guide in your calculations.
- Construction was completed at an approximate cost of $4.1 million.
opposite exact
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
Approximate is used with these nouns:
calculation
dimension
equivalent
…
See full entry
Word Originlate Middle English (in the adjectival sense ‘close, similar’): from late Latin approximatus, past participle of approximare, from ad- ‘to’ + proximus ‘very near’. The verb (originally meaning ‘bring close’) arose in the mid 17th cent.; the current use as an adjective dates from the early 19th cent.

approximate

verb

/əˈprɒksɪmeɪt/

/əˈprɑːksɪmeɪt/

(formal)

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they approximate	/əˈprɒksɪmeɪt/ /əˈprɑːksɪmeɪt/
he / she / it approximates	/əˈprɒksɪmeɪts/ /əˈprɑːksɪmeɪts/
past simple approximated	/əˈprɒksɪmeɪtɪd/ /əˈprɑːksɪmeɪtɪd/
past participle approximated	/əˈprɒksɪmeɪtɪd/ /əˈprɑːksɪmeɪtɪd/
-ing form approximating	/əˈprɒksɪmeɪtɪŋ/ /əˈprɑːksɪmeɪtɪŋ/

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[transitive, intransitive] to be similar or close to something in nature, quality, amount, etc., but not exactly the same
- approximate something The animals were reared in conditions which approximated the wild as closely as possible.
- The total cost will approximate £15 billion.
- approximate to something His story approximates to the facts that we already know.
[transitive] approximate something to calculate or estimate something fairly accurately
- a formula for approximating the weight of a horse
More Like This Pronunciation changes by part of speech
Pronunciation changes by part of speech
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Word Originlate Middle English (in the adjectival sense ‘close, similar’): from late Latin approximatus, past participle of approximare, from ad- ‘to’ + proximus ‘very near’. The verb (originally meaning ‘bring close’) arose in the mid 17th cent.; the current use as an adjective dates from the early 19th cent.