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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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 ( see -pod)
Explanation
Caliber is a kind of measurement that can describe either the level of a person’s ability or the diameter of a gun barrel. Your dad might be a high-caliber marksman, especially when using his .22 caliber rifle. Caliber describes the level of ability a person has achieved in a profession. For example, you probably wouldn't want to hire a low-caliber plumber when the toilet breaks. The caliber of an institution or a program describes the height of its standards. You might be planning to attend the high-caliber veterinary program at your state university. Caliber is also the measurement of the width inside a gun barrel, and its corresponding bullets.
Vocabulary lists containing caliber
Fallen Angels
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Code Talker
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The Princess Bride
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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.
He explained that, in some ways, this change is a throwback to the roadside dining culture that existed in the U.S. before the Interstate Highway System, which prioritized convenience over caliber.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
Performers of Prince and Lamar’s caliber enjoy the spoils of their popularity.
From Salon • May 16, 2026
The production value — the caliber of cameras and the direction alone — is spectacular.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2026
Reibe, though, comes to USC as a different caliber of prospect.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
I really needed someone who matched my caliber, and though obviously nobody was as good a scientist as me, if only I could find someone close...
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
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.
