Origin: Latin suffix -ate
Approximate has 7 different meanings across 2 categories:
judge tentatively or form an estimate of (quantities or time)
"I estimate this chicken to weigh three pounds"
To estimate.
"I did not have an exact answer, so I had to approximate how many guests would attend the party."
not quite exact or correct
"the approximate time was 10 o'clock"
"a rough guess"
"a ballpark estimate"
located close together
"with heads close together"
"approximate leaves grow together but are not united"
Approaching; proximate; nearly resembling.
"The storm clouds were approximate to our location, looming just over the distant hills."
In plain English: Approximate means something is close to being correct but not exactly right.
"The approximate cost of the renovation was five thousand dollars."
Usage: Use approximate to describe something that is close but not exact, such as an estimated number or measurement. It functions similarly to nearly, though it specifically implies a calculated closeness rather than just being almost there.
The word "approximate" comes from Middle English via Latin approximātus, which literally meant to be close or near something. It is formed by combining the prefix meaning "toward" with a root that means "to come near."