approximately
Americanadverb
adverb
Etymology
Origin of approximately
First recorded in 1845–50; approximate ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
Explanation
Approximately is close to a particular time, measurement, or number — but it's not exact. If you plan to meet a friend at approximately 2:00, it will be okay if you are a bit early or late. Approximately has its roots in the Latin word proximus, meaning "nearly." So, approximately means "about" or "close to." If you tell someone there will be approximately seventy people at a dinner, it means you expect seventy people, though the actual number could be a little more or a little less than seventy.
Vocabulary lists containing approximately
Walk Two Moons
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Ocean Storm Alert!
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STAAR Grade 7 Mathematics: The Language of the Test
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Because greys typically weigh 500g - approximately twice that of reds, only they can access the contraceptive.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
Together, those savings could provide approximately four additional years of potential mission life and leave even more propellant available for future scientific work.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026
According to CoinShares, the average cost to one bitcoin among the listed miners was approximately $75,500 in the second quarter.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
Campus police had six officers on duty at the event, approximately one-quarter of the full force, and local police weren’t on site, according to court records.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
The shack was approximately ten feet by twelve feet.
From "Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
