Approximations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An estimation or calculation that is close to a true value or actual quantity
2. A value or representation that is nearly accurate but not exactly correct, often used for simplification
3. A rough figure or inference that represents something in a way that is not precise but generally acceptable

Etymology: The noun "approximations" is simply the plural of "approximation," and the story begins with the Latin verb "proximare," meaning to come near, which is built from "proximus," nearest. Latin speakers attached the prefix "ad-" ("to") to form "approximare," to draw near to something, and that verb gave English the adjective "approximate" in the Middle English period, when writers used it for things that came close to a target without reaching it. The noun was formed in English by adding the suffix "-ion" to "approximate," following the pattern of countless Latin-derived nouns of action or state. Over time the emphasis moved from the physical act of drawing near to the idea of a figure that is close enough to be useful. An approximation is therefore a number or description that has nearly arrived at the truth, and the word's meaning has stayed rooted in that sense of closeness.

Synonyms: estimates, guesses, calculations

Antonyms: exactness, precision