approximative

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adjective

Of, relating to, or being an estimate or approximation.

Similar
approximateroughinexact
OriginEnglish approximate ← Middle English approximat ← Latin approximātus →
RareScrabble 29
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Meanings

adjectiveapproximative (comparative more approximative, superlative most approximative)

comparative more approximative · superlative most approximative

  1. Of, relating to, or being an estimate or approximation.
nounapproximative (plural approximatives)

plural approximatives

  1. grammarA grammatical construct that expresses approximation.

    In Example 6, we can see speakers using the vague approximatives 'two or three' and 'one or two'.

    2007, J. Cutting, Vague Language Explored, page 190

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivenot quite exact or correct

Similar
approximateroughinexact
Also see
approximateinexactrough

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂éd
  2. Proto-Italic*ad
  3. Proto-Italic*ad-
  4. Latinad-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*prokʷe
  6. Proto-Indo-European*prokʷism̥mos
  7. Latinproximus
  8. Latinproximō
  9. Latinapproximō
  10. Latinapproximātus
  11. Middle Englishapproximat
  12. Englishapproximate
  13. Englishapproximative

From approximate + -ive.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan aproximatiu
  • aproximatiuof, relating to, or being an approximation
Finnish likimääräinen, arviollinen
  • likimääräinenof, relating to, or being an approximation
  • arviollinenof, relating to, or being an approximation
French approximatif
  • approximatifof, relating to, or being an approximation
Italian approssimativo
  • approssimativoof, relating to, or being an approximation
Polish aproksymacyjny, aproksymatywny
  • aproksymacyjnyof, relating to, or being an approximation
  • aproksymatywnyof, relating to, or being an approximation
Portuguese aproximativo
  • aproximativoof, relating to, or being an approximation
Spanish aproximativo
  • aproximativoof, relating to, or being an approximation
Cite this entry
APA

approximative. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/approximative

MLA

“approximative.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/approximative. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “approximative,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/approximative.

Source: approximative on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.