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Synonyms of approximate

approach, border on, challenge, verge on, place, put, reckon, set, about, almost, close, estimate

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approximate

8 dictionary results for: approximate

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

ap·prox·i·mate

[adj. uh-prok-suh-mit; v. uh-prok-suh-meyt] Pronunciation Key adjective, verb, -mat·ed, -mat·ing.

–adjective

1.	near or approaching a certain state, condition, goal, or standard.

2.	nearly exact; not perfectly accurate or correct: The approximate time was 10 o'clock.

3.	near; close together.

4.	very similar; nearly identical.

–verb (used with object)

5.	to come near to; approach closely to: to approximate an ideal.

6.	to estimate: We approximated the distance at three miles.

7.	to simulate; imitate closely: The motions of the stars can be approximated in a planetarium.

8.	to bring near.

–verb (used without object)

9.	to come near in position, character, amount, etc.

[Origin: 1400–50; late ME < LL approximātus drawn near to, approached (ptp. of approximāre). See ap-¹, proximate

]

—Related forms

ap·prox·i·mate·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

ap·prox·i·mate (ə-prŏk'sə-mĭt) Pronunciation Key
adj.

Almost exact or correct: the approximate time of the accident.
Very similar; closely resembling: sketched an approximate likeness of the suspect.
Botany Close together but not united.

v. (-māt') ap·prox·i·mat·ed, ap·prox·i·mat·ing, ap·prox·i·mates

v. tr.

To come close to; be nearly the same as: This meat substitute approximates the real thing.
To bring near.
To bring together, as cut edges of tissue.

v. intr.
To come near or close, as in degree, nature, or quality.

[Middle English, from Late Latin approximātus, past participle of approximāre, to approach : Latin ad-, ad- + proximāre, to come near (from proximus, nearest; see per¹ in Indo-European roots).]

ap·prox'i·mate·ly adv.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
approximate (adj.)

1646, from L. approximatus, pp. of approximare "to draw near to," from ad- "to" + proximare "come near," from proximus "nearest," superlative of prope "near." The verb is 1660, from the adj.

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

approximate
adjective
1.	not quite exact or correct; "the approximate time was 10 o'clock"; "a rough guess"; "a ballpark estimate"
2.	very close in resemblance; "sketched in an approximate likeness"; "a near likeness"
3.	located close together; "with heads close together"; "approximate leaves grow together but are not united"
verb
1.	be close or similar; "Her results approximate my own"
2.	judge tentatively or form an estimate of (quantities or time); "I estimate this chicken to weigh three pounds" [syn: estimate]

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American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

approximate ap·prox·i·mate (ə-prŏk'sə-māt')
v. ap·prox·i·mat·ed, ap·prox·i·mat·ing, ap·prox·i·mates
To bring together, as cut edges of tissue. adj. (-mĭt)