approximate
v.v. close to the actual number or amount, but not exactly right. You use this when you want to give a general idea without being perfect.
v. close to the actual, but not completely accurate or exact. Often used to qualify measurements or estimates in technical contexts.
The approximate cost of the repairs is five hundred dollars.
The scientists provided an approximate date for the discovery based on the surrounding rock layers.
While the initial survey provides an approximate figure for the population, a more rigorous census is required to confirm the exact demographic shifts.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Latin proximō Latin approximō Latin approximātusder. Middle English approximat English approximate From Middle English approximat(e) (“close, near (to); similar; intimate”, also used as the past participle of approximaten), from Latin approximātus, the perfect passive participle of approximō (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), further from ad- (“to, towards, at”) + proximō (“to come near”). The noun was derived from the adjective through substantivization, see -ate (noun-forming suffix). See also proximate. By surface analysis, ap- + proximate.
From Middle English approximaten (“to bring, put close (to)”), from approximat(e) (“close, near (to); similar; intimate”, also used as the past participle of approximaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), borrowed from Latin approximātus, see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more.
Typically placed before the noun it modifies; often used with 'to' when functioning as a verb.
the approximate of the costthe approximate costLearners often try to use 'approximate' as a noun, but 'approximation' is the correct noun form.