approximately

Etymology

It is formed from English approximate + -ly.^[2][3] Approximate is from Late Latin approximātus, the past participle of approximō (“to come near to”),^[3][2][4] formed from ad- (“to”) and proximō (“to come near”),^[3][4][2] from proximus (“nearest”), the superlative of prope (“near”).^[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Nearly, closely, by approximation: 1742 in Etymonline and Merriam-Webster.^[3][5] The OED's first record is much later, 1845, in Carlyle.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The adjective first meant near in position or character (1646),^[2][3] and the meaning "near in accuracy" is recorded only since 1816.^[2][3] The adverb has the sense of nearness in accuracy in the OED's definition, and today it serves as a general word for "about" or "roughly".^[2][6][5]

Timeline

• 1742 – nearly, by approximation.^[3][5] The OED first records it in 1845, in Carlyle.^[2]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Close to but not exactly; roughly, about, nearly: The drive takes approximately two hours.^[6][5][2]

Related words

• approximate
• approximation
• proximate
• proximity
• propinquity

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
5. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins