Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Precision

Pre-ci′sion

,
Noun.
[Cf. F.
précision
, L.
praecisio
a cutting off. See
Precise
.]
The quality or state of being precise; exact limitation; exactness; accuracy; strict conformity to a rule or a standard; definiteness.
I have left out the utmost
precisions
of fractions.
Locke.
Syn. – Preciseness; exactness; accuracy; nicety.
Precision
,
Preciseness
. Precision is always used in a good sense;
as,
precision
of thought or language;
precision
in military evolutions
. Preciseness is sometimes applied to persons or their conduct in a disparaging sense, and precise is often used in the same way.

Webster 1828 Edition


Precision

PRECI'SION

,
Noun.
s as z. [L. proecisio.] Exact limitation; exactness; accuracy. Precision in the use of words is a prime excellence in discourse; it is indispensable in controversy, in legal instruments and in mathematical calculations. Neither perspicuity nor precision should be sacrificed to ornament.

Definition 2024


precision

precision

See also: précision and precisión

English

Noun

precision (countable and uncountable, plural precisions)

  1. The state of being precise or exact; exactness.
  2. The ability of a measurement to be reproduced consistently.
  3. (mathematics) The number of significant digits to which a value may be measured reliably.

Derived terms

  • arbitrary-precision

Translations

References

Adjective

precision (not comparable)

  1. Used for exact or precise measurement.
  2. Made, or characterized by accuracy.
    • 2011 October 1, John Sinnott, “Aston Villa 2 - 0 Wigan”, in BBC Sport:
      But there was nothing he could do about Villa's second when Agbonlahor crossed from the left and Bent finished with a precision volley.

Translations


Middle French

Alternative forms

Etymology

First known attestation 1380, borrowing from Latin praecisiō[1].

Noun

precision f (plural precisions)

  1. precision (quality of being precise)

References

  1. precision” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).