precision
precision Lexical Profile
precision Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The quality, condition, or fact of being exact, accurate, and free from error or ambiguity.
"The surgeon performed the delicate operation with remarkable precision."
The degree of refinement with which an operation is performed or a measurement is stated, especially the closeness of agreement among repeated measurements of the same quantity.
"Calibrating the laboratory scale improved the precision of our chemical measurements to four decimal places."
Word Nuance & Usage
In scientific and statistical contexts, 'precision' refers to the closeness of repeated measurements to one another (reproducibility), whereas 'accuracy' refers to how close a measurement is to the true value.
• Rhymes for precision
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-16th century from Middle French 'précision' or directly from Latin 'praecīsiō' (meaning 'a cutting off'), derived from the verb 'praecīdere' ('to cut short' or 'abridge'), combining 'prae-' ('before') and 'caedere' ('to cut').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.