caliber
Americannoun
-
the diameter of something of circular section, especially that of the inside of a tube.
a pipe of three-inch caliber.
-
Ordnance. the diameter of the bore of a gun taken as a unit of measurement.
-
degree of capacity or competence; ability.
a mathematician of high caliber.
-
degree of merit or excellence; quality.
the high moral caliber of the era.
- Synonyms:
- distinction , worth
Other Word Forms
- calibered adjective
Etymology
Origin of caliber
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“The names might be different since 2015, but it doesn’t mean the caliber of team isn’t good.”
From Los Angeles Times
But the rankings don’t reflect the caliber of students a college admits, nor graduate outcomes that matter.
Earlier this year, Armin Papperger opened a new factory that will allow his company to produce more of an essential caliber of artillery shell than the entire U.S. defense industry combined.
Riley said Tuesday that Maiava’s inconsistencies of late were due to the caliber of defenses he’s faced — and circumstances that forced USC’s offense to be aggressive downfield.
From Los Angeles Times
His high-end home boasted every manner of amenity a celebrity of his caliber could wish for, starting with an open floor plan that featured eight bedrooms and 10 bathrooms.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
