Definition, synonyms and related words
plural of estimate
"The contractors submitted three different estimates for repairing the roof before we decided on a price."
In plain English: Estimates are guesses about how much something will cost or how long it will take to finish.
"The project manager shared his estimates for how long the renovation would take."
Usage: Use estimates to refer to multiple calculated approximations of value or quantity, such as several cost projections from different contractors. Avoid using this word when you need a single assessment or an exact figure.
Derived from the Latin aestimare, meaning to value or judge, this term originally referred to the act of assessing worth before evolving into its modern sense of calculating an approximate amount. It entered English via Old French and retains the core concept of forming a judgment based on available information.