approximation

noun
UK: /əˌprɒksɪˈmeɪʃən/
US: /əˌprɑːksɪˈmeɪʃən/

  1. A value or quantity that is nearly but not exactly correct.

    1. This number is just an approximation. [ ] [ ]
    2. The student made an approximation of the population size using available data. [ ] [ ]

  2. The process of calculating something in a way that is not exact, but is accurate enough to be useful.

    1. The calculation was an approximation of the total cost. [ ] [ ]
    2. We can get a good approximation by ignoring small effects and focusing on the main forces. [ ] [ ]

  3. A thing that is similar to something else, but is not exactly the same.

    1. This color is a good approximation of blue. [ ] [ ]
    2. The movie bears some approximation to the book, but diverges significantly in the third act. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

estimate likeness guess resemblance

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "approximation" in English means: A value or quantity that is nearly but not exactly correct., The process of calculating something in a way that is not exact, but is accurate enough to be useful., A thing that is similar to something else, but is not exactly the same..

The phonetic transcription of "approximation" is /əˌprɒksɪˈmeɪʃən/ in British English and /əˌprɑːksɪˈmeɪʃən/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "approximation": estimate, likeness, guess, resemblance.

Example usage of "approximation": "This number is just an approximation.". More examples on the page.