circular error

noun

1. Horology. loss of isochronism in a pendulum moving through circular arcs of different sizes: sometimes avoided by causing the pendulum to move through cycloidal arcs.
2. Military. error measured as the distance from the center of a target to the point of impact of a bomb or shell, or to the ground zero of an aerial burst.

Word History and Origins

Origin of circular error¹

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

A strike is considered accurate if it lands within a "circular error probable," usually 10 meters around the object being targeted.

From Salon

So in an urban area, if you take into account the "circular error probable," the blast radius, flying debris and collapsing buildings, even a strike assessed as "accurate" is very likely to kill and injure civilians.

From Salon

A March 2006 report by the US Center for Non-proliferation Studies, concluded it had a "circular error probable" of 2km to 4km, meaning that half the missiles fired would fall outside a circle of that radius.

From BBC

The system will double the accuracy, or halve the "circular error probability," of each of the 1,650 Minuteman warheads.

From Time Magazine Archive

REDSTONE: Circular error probability, target systems, pipeline requirements, deterrent gaps . . . counterinsurgency . . . soft target .

From Time Magazine Archive