Meanings
comparative more precise · comparative preciser · superlative most precise · superlative precisest · alternative archaic præcise
- broadlyBoth exact and accurate.
highly precise
5 more examples
precise definition
precise calculation
Please give a precise measurement of the room.
Her precise instructions made the task easier.
A memory is "precise" when the occurrences that would verify it are narrowly circumscribed: for instance, "I met Jones" is precise as compared to "I met a man." A memory is "accurate" when it is both precise and true, i.e. in the above instance, if it was Jones I met.
1921, Bertrand Russell, The Analysis of Mind - strictlyengineeringConsistent, clustered close together, agreeing with each other (this does not mean that they cluster near the true, correct, or accurate value).
Antonyms: imprecise, inconsistent, varying
- Adhering too much to rules; prim or punctilious.
present singular third person precises · participle present precising · participle past precised · past precised · alternative archaic præcise
- nonstandardtransitiveEuropean Union documentsTo make or render precise; to specify.
This proposal for a new basic regulation is justified because there is a need to precise the objectives of the CFP.
2011, Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the Common Fisheries Policy
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveConsistent, clustered close together, agreeing with each other (this does not mean that they cluster near the true, correct, or accurate value).
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivesharply exact or accurate or delimited
adjective(of ideas, images, representations, expressions) characterized by perfect conformity to fact or truth; strictly correct
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*per-
- Proto-Indo-European*preh₂-
- Proto-Indo-European*préh₂i?
- Proto-Italic*prai
- Proto-Italic*prai-
- Latinprae-
- Proto-Indo-European*kh₂eyd-
- Proto-Indo-European*kh₂éydeti
- Proto-Italic*kaidō
- Latincaedō
- Latinpraecīdō
- Latinpraecīsus
- Middle Frenchprécis
- Englishprecise
From Middle French précis, from Latin praecīsus, perfect passive participle of praecīdere, from prae- (“before, in front”) + caedere (“cut; strike”), cognate with hit. Related to incise. Doublet of précis.
More words from Middle French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ἀκριβής, ἀτρεκής
- ἀκριβής (akribḗs)exact
- ἀτρεκής (atrekḗs)exact
Arabic مَضْبُوط, دَقِيق
- مَضْبُوط (maḍbūṭ)exact
- دَقِيق (daqīq)exact
Bulgarian то́чен, преци́зен
- то́чен (tóčen)exact
- преци́зен (precízen)exact
- уточнявам (utočnjavam)to specify
- прецизирам (preciziram)to specify
Catalan precís
- precísexact
Chinese Mandarin 準確 /准确, 正確 /正确
- 準確 /准确 (zhǔnquè)exact
- 正確 /正确 (zhèngquè)exact
- 精確 /精确 (jīngquè)exact
Czech přesný
- přesnýexact
Danish præcis
- præcisexact
Dutch nauwkeurig, precies
- nauwkeurigexact
- preciesexact
- precijs(sciences) clustered close together
Esperanto preciza
- precizaexact
Estonian täpne, täpsustama
- täpneexact
- täpsustamato specify
Finnish tarkka, täsmällinen
- tarkkaexact
- täsmällinen(sciences) clustered close together
- tarkka(sciences) clustered close together
French précis, préciser
- précisexact
- préciserto specify
German präzise, genau
- präziseexact
- genauexact
- exakt(sciences) clustered close together
- präzisierento specify
Greek ακριβής
- ακριβής (akrivís)exact
Hungarian pontos
- pontosexact
Irish cruinn, beacht
- cruinnexact
- beachtexact
- gontaexact
- pointeáilteexact
Italian preciso, esatto
- precisoexact
- esattoexact
- accuratoexact
Japanese 正確な, 精密な
- 正確な (seikaku na)exact
- 精密な (seimitsu na)exact
- 厳密な (genmitsu na)exact
- 厳密な (genmitsu na)(sciences) clustered close together
- 正確な (seikaku na)(sciences) clustered close together
Korean 정확한
- 정확한 (jeonghwak-han)exact
Latin exāctus
- exāctusexact
Latvian precīzs
- precīzsexact
Lithuanian tikslus
- tikslusexact
Norwegian Bokmål presis, nøyaktig
- presisexact
- nøyaktigexact
Persian دقیق, پرسون
- دقیق (daqiq)exact
- پرسون (parsun)exact
Polish dokładny, precyzyjny
- dokładnyexact
- precyzyjnyexact
- precyzowaćto specify
Portuguese preciso, preciso
- precisoexact
- preciso(sciences) clustered close together
Russian то́чный
- то́чный (tóčnyj)exact
Scottish Gaelic pongail
- pongailexact
Slovak presný
- presnýexact
Spanish preciso, precisar
- precisoexact
- precisarto specify
- pormenorizarto specify
Swedish precis, noggrann
- precisexact
- noggrannexact
- nogaexact
- exaktexact
- noggrann(sciences) clustered close together
Thai แม่นยำ
- แม่นยำ (mɛ̂n-yam)exact
Turkish dakik, kesin
- dakikexact
- kesinexact
Ukrainian то́чний, докла́дний
- то́чний (tóčnyj)exact
- докла́дний (dokládnyj)exact
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with precise
Cite this entry
precise. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/precise
“precise.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/precise. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “precise,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/precise.
Source: precise on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.