estimate

[ verb es-tuh-meyt; noun es-tuh-mit, -meyt ]

verb (used with object)

, es·ti·mat·ed, es·ti·mat·ing.

1. to form an approximate judgment or opinion regarding the worth, amount, size, weight, etc., of; calculate approximately:

   to estimate the cost of a college education.

   Synonyms: appraise, evaluate, value, assess, gauge, reckon, count, compute

2. to form an opinion of; judge.

verb (used without object)

, es·ti·mat·ed, es·ti·mat·ing.

1. to make an estimate.

noun

1. an approximate judgment or calculation, as of the value, amount, time, size, or weight of something.

   Synonyms: appraisal, calculation, valuation

2. a judgment or opinion, as of the qualities of a person or thing.
3. a statement of the approximate charge for work to be done, submitted by a person or business firm ready to undertake the work.

estimate

verb

1. to form an approximate idea of (distance, size, cost, etc); calculate roughly; gauge
2. tr; may take a clause as object to form an opinion about; judge

   to estimate one's chances

3. to submit (an approximate price) for (a job) to a prospective client
4. tr statistics to assign a value (a point estimate ) or range of values (an interval estimate ) to a parameter of a population on the basis of sampling statistics See estimator

noun

1. an approximate calculation
2. a statement indicating the likely charge for or cost of certain work
3. a judgment; appraisal; opinion

Derived Forms

• ˈestimative, adjective

Other Words From

• esti·mating·ly adverb
• esti·mator noun
• pre·esti·mate verb (used with object) preestimated preestimating
• pre·esti·mate noun
• re·esti·mate verb (used with object) reestimated reestimating
• re·esti·mate noun
• self-esti·mate noun
• un·esti·mated adjective
• well-esti·mated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of estimate¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin aestimātus “valued,” past participle of aestimāre “to value, fix the value of”

Word History and Origins

Origin of estimate¹

C16: from Latin aestimāre to assess the worth of, of obscure origin

Example Sentences

Once input into the machine-learning model, these parameters provided reliable estimates on daily discharge and gave real-time data on how much water was moving through a particular cross-section in the river.

From Science Daily

The forecast assumes the state will receive about $7 billion more in tax revenue above estimates made in July.

From Los Angeles Times

Over the weekend, Acevedo and his family surveyed their land, where the fire had damaged or destroyed an estimated 100 of his 300 avocado trees.

From Los Angeles Times

Some estimates suggest that half the global population could be obese by 2035.

From Salon

Charities including ActionAid said it is crucial a deal is reached as the UN estimates women and girls currently make up 80% of those displaced by climate change.

From BBC

Related Words

• appraisal
• assessment
• conclusion
• estimation
• evaluation
• guess
• measure
• measurement
• opinion
• projection
• rating
• survey
• valuation