Unrounds

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. Reverses a previous rounding process, restoring a numerical value to a more exact form
2. Removes the effects of rounding in numbers to reveal details lost in the approximation
3. Converts a rounded figure back to a more precise numerical expression by undoing rounding

Etymology: "Unrounds" is the third-person singular present form of "unround," a verb meaning to reverse number rounding. The verb is formed from the prefix "un-" attached to "round," so the sense is simply the reversal of an action: rounding a number to a nearby figure, then undoing that rounding. The base "round" comes from Old French "rond," itself from Latin "rotundus," meaning circular or wheel-shaped. Its use for making a number approximate developed from the older idea of making something whole or complete, since a rounded figure is one stripped of its awkward fractions. "Unround" applies that logic in reverse, turning a neat approximation back toward a value that the rounding had concealed.

Synonyms: flattens, sharpens, edgifies

Antonyms: rounds, smooths, softens, curves