English Meaning & Definitions
Close to a particular number or time, but not exactly accurate or complete.
- “The project will take approximately three months to complete.”
- “There were approximately fifty people attending the conference.”
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “approximately”.
Derived from the Late Latin 'approximatus', past participle of 'approximare' (to bring near), formed from 'ad-' (to) + 'proximus' (very near or next, superlative of 'prope' meaning near).
Think of 'proximate' (close to) to remember that approximately means close to an exact figure.
Frequently Asked Questions About “approximately”
1. What is the meaning of “approximately” in English?
In English, approximately (adverb) is defined as: “Close to a particular number or time, but not exactly accurate or complete.”.
2. How do you use “approximately” in a sentence?
“The project will take approximately three months to complete.”
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “approximately”?
Derived from the Late Latin 'approximatus', past participle of 'approximare' (to bring near), formed from 'ad-' (to) + 'proximus' (very near or next, superlative of 'prope' meaning near).
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.