calibre

/ ˈkælɪbə /

noun

1. the diameter of a cylindrical body, esp the internal diameter of a tube or the bore of a firearm
2. the diameter of a shell or bullet
3. ability; distinction

   a musician of high calibre

4. personal character

   a man of high calibre

Derived Forms

• ˈcalibred, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of calibre¹

C16: from Old French, from Italian calibro, from Arabic qālib shoemaker's last, mould

Example Sentences

"The calibre of rider that Chloe is, I didn't think I had much of a chance, so it just shows that if you dig deep and see what you've got, sometimes you do surprise yourself."

From BBC

The FA’s move will be controversial and contentious – but few can argue against the fact that they have appointed one of the great modern coaches, an operator of the highest calibre.

From BBC

"If people's only viewpoint of drag is Drag Race, they're gonna expect that level and calibre of outfits from drag queens they see day to day," he says.

From BBC

"A sweep on the podium might be a little bit of a pipedream, but you never know what can happen with this kind of calibre of guys."

From BBC

Police recovered a fully automatic AR-15 rifle at the scene, as well as a .40 calibre handgun and several rounds of ammunition for both guns.

From BBC