caliber

especially British, cal·i·bre

[kal-uh-ber]

noun

1. the diameter of something of circular section, especially that of the inside of a tube.

   a pipe of three-inch caliber.

2. Ordnance.,  the diameter of the bore of a gun taken as a unit of measurement.

3. degree of capacity or competence; ability.

   a mathematician of high caliber.

4. degree of merit or excellence; quality.

   the high moral caliber of the era.

   Synonyms: distinction, worth

Other Word Forms

• calibered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of caliber¹

1560–70; variant of calibre < Middle French ≪ Arabic qālib mold, last < Greek kālápous shoe last, equivalent to kāla- combining form of kâlon wood + poús foot ( -pod )

Example Sentences

Police recovered a loaded .38 caliber revolver from a man riding in the truck, who said Pierre had left the weapon behind.

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The mainstream press, which I suspect would have preferred to report on Republican insouciance, noted instead the number and caliber of GOP officeholders openly rejecting Mr. Roberts’s plea to take it easy on right-wing Jew-haters.

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“For him to play that caliber of shortstop, I think, is underappreciated,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said.

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And they hoped an MVP-winning superstar of his caliber could help take them over the top.

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“When you have an opportunity to add a caliber of quarterback like Cam, those things are priceless.”

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Related Words

• ability 
• competence 
• quality 
• stature 
• talent