Meanings
adjectiveimprecise (comparative more imprecise, superlative most imprecise)
comparative more imprecise · superlative most imprecise
- Not precise or exact; containing some error or uncertainty.
Rushdie oxymoronically notes that Hobson-Jobson ‘can be wonderfully imprecise at times’ (1985: 82).
2018, James Lambert, “Setting the Record Straight: An In-depth Examination of Hobson-Jobson”, in International Journal of Lexicography, volume 31, number 4, →DOI, page 486
Synonyms & antonyms
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*né
- Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
- Proto-Italic*n̥-
- Latinin-
- Middle Englishin-
- Englishim-
- Latinpraecīdō
- Latinpraecīsus
- Middle Frenchprécis
- Englishprecise
- Englishimprecise
Translations
Bulgarian неточен
- неточен (netočen)not precise or exact
Catalan imprecís
- imprecísnot precise or exact
Czech nepřesný
- nepřesnýnot precise or exact
Danish upræcis
- upræcisnot precise or exact
Esperanto malpreciza
- malprecizanot precise or exact
Finnish epätarkka, epätäsmällinen
- epätarkkanot precise or exact
- epätäsmällinennot precise or exact
French imprécis
- imprécisnot precise or exact
German ungenau
- ungenaunot precise or exact
Hungarian pontatlan
- pontatlannot precise or exact
Irish neamhbheacht
- neamhbheachtnot precise or exact
Italian impreciso
- imprecisonot precise or exact
Norwegian Bokmål upresis
- upresisnot precise or exact
Polish niedokładny, nieścisły
- niedokładnynot precise or exact
- nieścisłynot precise or exact
- nieprecyzyjnynot precise or exact
Spanish inconcreto
- inconcretonot precise or exact
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with imprecise
priceadvicenicedeviceicevicetwicenycmiceprecisespicedicesacrificesliceconcisethricesufficesplicelicewisviseenticeBricesais
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
imprecise. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/imprecise
MLA
“imprecise.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/imprecise. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “imprecise,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/imprecise.
Source: imprecise on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.