ap·prox·i·mate

adjective

/əˈprɒksɪmət/

/əˈprɑːksɪmət/

almost correct or accurate, but not completely so大约的；近似的；接近的
- an approximate number/total/cost约数；概算总额；约计成本
- The cost given is only approximate.所列成本仅系约计。
- Use these figures as an approximate guide in your calculations.计算时把这些数字作为近似参考数值。
- Construction was completed at an approximate cost of $4.1 million.工程竣工成本约为 410 万美元。
opposite exact
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
Approximate is used with these nouns:
calculation
dimension
equivalent
…
Word Originlate Middle English (in the adjectival sense ‘close, similar’): from late Latin approximatus, past participle of approximare, from ad- ‘to’ + proximus ‘very near’. The verb (originally meaning ‘bring close’) arose in the mid 17th cent.; the current use as an adjective dates from the early 19th cent.

ap·prox·i·mate

verb

/əˈprɒksɪmeɪt/

/əˈprɑːksɪmeɪt/

(formal)

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they approximate	/əˈprɒksɪmeɪt/ /əˈprɑːksɪmeɪt/
he / she / it approximates	/əˈprɒksɪmeɪts/ /əˈprɑːksɪmeɪts/
past simple approximated	/əˈprɒksɪmeɪtɪd/ /əˈprɑːksɪmeɪtɪd/
past participle approximated	/əˈprɒksɪmeɪtɪd/ /əˈprɑːksɪmeɪtɪd/
-ing form approximating	/əˈprɒksɪmeɪtɪŋ/ /əˈprɑːksɪmeɪtɪŋ/

[transitive, intransitive] to be similar or close to something in nature, quality, amount, etc., but not exactly the same近似；接近
- approximate something The animals were reared in conditions which approximated the wild as closely as possible.这些动物是在尽量近似自然的环境下饲养的。
- The total cost will approximate £15 billion.总费用将近 150 亿英镑。
- approximate to something His story approximates to the facts that we already know.他的陈述和我们已掌握的事实接近。
[transitive] approximate something to calculate or estimate something fairly accurately近似计算；概略估算
- a formula for approximating the weight of a horse估算一匹马重量的公式
More Like This Pronunciation changes by part of speech
Pronunciation changes by part of speech
- abuse
- alternate
- advocate
- approximate
- contract
- converse
- convict
- decrease
- delegate
- discount
- duplicate
- estimate
- export
- extract
- graduate
- import
- intimate
- moderate
- object
- permit
- present
- protest
- record
- refund
- refuse
- subject
- suspect
- survey
- torment
- upgrade

Word Originlate Middle English (in the adjectival sense ‘close, similar’): from late Latin approximatus, past participle of approximare, from ad- ‘to’ + proximus ‘very near’. The verb (originally meaning ‘bring close’) arose in the mid 17th cent.; the current use as an adjective dates from the early 19th cent.