Word
approximate
Phoneticsap·prox·i·mate, stress on the second syllable
/əˈpɹɑksəˌmeɪt/
Definitions
01nearly correct
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. close to the actual number or amount, but not 100% exact.
adj. denoting a value or estimate that is nearly correct but lacks absolute precision.
“The builder gave us an approximate cost for the new roof.”
“The researchers provided an approximate figure for the population decline, noting that a precise census was impossible due to the remote terrain.”
02close together
C1 · Advanced Science Technical
adj. positioned very close to each other but not actually touching.
adj. situated in close proximity; in botany, describes parts that are close together but not united.
“The leaves on this plant are approximate, meaning they grow very close together.”
“The specimen was identified by its approximate scales, which clustered tightly along the stem without ever fusing into a single sheath.”
03to be similar to
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
v. to be almost the same as something else.
v. to come close to or be similar to something in quality, nature, or quantity.
“The new synthetic material tries to approximate the feel of real leather.”
“While the simulation is advanced, it can only approximate the complex atmospheric conditions found during a real hurricane.”
Antonyms
04to calculate roughly
B2 · Upper Intermediate Mathematics Academic
v. to guess or calculate a number so that it is nearly correct.
v. to estimate or calculate a value to a near but non-exact degree.
“You can approximate the answer by rounding the numbers to the nearest ten.”
“Engineers often approximate the load-bearing capacity of the soil before beginning the formal structural analysis.”
Real-World Examples
“He gave an approximate estimate that the VAT cut in Northern Ireland would initially cost the Treasury between £225m and £250m a year.” “This phone doesn’t have the wide frame of the new Z Fold 8 , instead matching the approximate size and shape of the company’s last few tablet-style foldables.” Etymology
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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