ˈpräksəmə̇t, usu -ə̇d.+V adjective
Etymology: Latin proximatus, past participle of proximare to come near, approach, from proximus, nearest, next, superl. of prope near — more at approach
1.
a. : very near : immediately adjoining : close
singed … at the too proximate candle — J.W.Krutch
a playwright so proximate to the century mark — Dan Laurence
b. : soon forthcoming : imminent , next
news of his proximate arrival
the proximate possibility of space travel — Pius Walsh
on Tuesday proximate — George Meredith
2. : next immediately preceding or following (as in a chain of causes or effects)
an interest in proximate , rather than ultimate, goals — Reinhold Niebuhr
the proximate cause of their disaster — Elmer Davis
one of the proximate effects will be to increase consumer spending — James Tobin
— compare remote , ultimate
3. : nearly accurate or correct : approximate
make a proximate estimate
a proximate graduation scale — H.J.Wegrocki
the figures … give at least a proximate explanation of price behavior — James Tobin
4. : determined by proximate analysis as opposed to ultimate analysis
proximate composition
5. of a grammatical form : denoting the first of two third persons referred to in a context (as in the construction in some languages corresponding to “John caught sight of Albert and he [John] told him the news”) — compare obviative
• prox·i·mate·ly adverb
• prox·i·mate·ness noun -es