Approximation
/əˌprɒk.sɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/noun
The act or process of making something nearly accurate or close to a value, amount, or idea.
Did you know?Approximation descends from Latin *approximare*, meaning “to come near,” built from *ad* (“to”) + *proximus* (“nearest”), the same root behind words for closeness and proximity.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*per-
“to go through, forward, or beyond”
Latin
Latin
proximus
“nearest, next”
Latin
Latin
approximare
“to come near, approach”
Late Latin
Latin
approximationem
“an act of coming near”
Middle English
English
approximacioun
“the act of approaching or making near”
Modern English
English
approximation
“the act or result of making something nearly accurate or close”