Numerous individuals often search for the definitions of English words and phrases to deepen their comprehension. However, they sometimes incorrectly use common words due to a lack of knowledge about their precise meanings or origins, leading to occasional spelling mistakes. This article aims to clarify the term “approximately” by providing information on its correct spelling and historical context.
Definition of “approximately”
“Approximately” is an adverb used to indicate that something is close to but not exactly at a specific number, amount, time, or degree. It is often used when an exact figure is unknown, unnecessary, or difficult to provide, suggesting a rough or near estimate instead.
Use of “approximately” in a sentence
In English, “approximately” operates grammatically as an adverb. It modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, providing a sense of estimation or approximation to the expression it qualifies. This adverb is commonly used to indicate that the number, amount, or value it precedes is not exact but close to the stated figure. It is often placed before numbers, quantities, or descriptions of time to convey that these are estimates.
Examples
- The project is expected to cost approximately $1,000.
- Approximately 200 people attended the conference last year.
- She arrived at approximately 3:00 PM.
How to spell “approximately” correctly
The adverb “approximately” is often misspelled in several ways, primarily due to its length and the sequence of its letters.
“Approximately” derives from the Latin word “approximatus,” which is the past participle of “approximare.” This term itself comes from “ad-“ meaning “to” and “proximus” meaning “nearest.” Therefore, the components of the word are:
- “ad-“ – prefix meaning “to”
- “proximus” – meaning “nearest”
Thus, “approximately” in its origin literally translates to something akin to “to the nearest” in English, reflecting the idea of being close to or nearly at a certain number or amount. This etymology underlines the word’s usage in suggesting an estimate or nearness rather than exactness.
Correct spelling
approximately
Wrong spelling
aproximately
approximatly
aproximatly
Synonyms for “approximately”
Enhancing your vocabulary with synonyms for “approximately” can improve communication, minimize repetition and redundancy, customize language for various audiences, and add stylistic diversity to your writing.
| Synonym | Examples |
| About | The film is approximately two hours long. |
| The film is about two hours long. | |
| Nearly | There were approximately 1000 people watching the show. |
| There were nearly 1000 people watching the show. | |
| Roughly | Approximately 50 people attended the seminar. |
| Roughly 50 people attended the seminar. |
FAQs
“Approximately” means close to a particular number, time, or amount but not exactly that figure. It indicates an estimate or approximation.
“Approximately” is used as an adverb to modify numbers, dates, times, or quantities, suggesting that the given value is an estimate rather than an exact figure. It is often placed before the term it modifies, such as in “approximately 100 people attended.”
The common abbreviation for “approximately” is “approx.”
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