— approximately , adv.
adj. /euh prok"seuh mit/ ; v. /euh prok"seuh mayt'/ , adj., v., approximated, approximating .
adj.
1. near or approaching a certain state, condition, goal, or standard.
2. nearly exact; not perfectly accurate or correct: The approximate time was 10 o'clock.
3. near; close together.
4. very similar; nearly identical.
v.t.
5. to come near to; approach closely to: to approximate an ideal.
6. to estimate: We approximated the distance at three miles.
7. to simulate; imitate closely: The motions of the stars can be approximated in a planetarium.
8. to bring near.
v.i.
9. to come near in position, character, amount, etc.
[ 1400-50; late ME approximatus drawn near to, approached (ptp. of approximare ). See AP- 1 , PROXIMATE ]