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magnitude

n.
US //ˈmæɡnəˌtud// UK //mˈæɡnɪtjˌuːd// mag·ni·tude
  1. 1 size or importance (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

    the great size or importance of something.

    the property of relative size or extent; often used to emphasize the seriousness or scale of a situation.

    Example

    The government did not realize the magnitude of the economic crisis until it was too late.

    Example

    The sheer magnitude of the humanitarian disaster required a coordinated international response that spanned several continents.
    • insignificance
    • smallness
  2. 2 earthquake strength (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Science

    a number that shows how much energy an earthquake releases.

    a quantitative measure of the energy released by an earthquake, typically recorded on the Richter scale or moment magnitude scale.

    Example

    The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.2, causing damage to many buildings.

    Example

    Seismologists reported that the magnitude of the aftershock was significantly lower than the initial quake, though it still posed a risk to unstable structures.
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  1. 3 brightness of a star (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Astronomy

    a number that measures how bright a star or planet looks from Earth.

    a logarithmic measure of the brightness of a celestial body, where lower numbers represent greater luminosity.

    Example

    Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky and has a very low magnitude.

    Example

    The telescope is capable of detecting distant galaxies with a visual magnitude far beyond the reach of the naked eye.
  2. 4 mathematical value (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Math

    the length or size of a mathematical object, like a vector.

    the absolute value of a real number, or the length of a vector in Euclidean space.

    Example

    To find the vector's magnitude, you need to use the Pythagorean theorem.

    Example

    In physics, velocity is a vector quantity because it accounts for both the magnitude of speed and the direction of travel.
Origin

From Latin magnitūdō (“greatness, size”), magnus + -tūdō.

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