caliber

cal·i·ber

noun \ˈka-lə-bər, British also kə-ˈlē-\

Definition of CALIBER

1

a : degree of mental capacity or moral quality

b : degree of excellence or importance

2

a : the diameter of a bullet or other projectile

b : the diameter of a bore of a gun usually expressed in hundredths or thousandths of an inch and typically written as a decimal fraction <.32 caliber>

3

: the diameter of a round or cylindrical body; especially : the internal diameter of a hollow cylinder

Variants of CALIBER

cal·i·ber or cal·i·bre \ˈka-lə-bər, British also kə-ˈlē-\

Examples of CALIBER

1. I was impressed by the high caliber of the team's work.
2. <musicians of the highest caliber perform at that concert hall>

Origin of CALIBER

Middle French calibre, from Old Italian calibro, from Arabic qālib shoemaker's last

First Known Use: 1567

Related to CALIBER

Synonyms

quality (or calibre), class, grade, rate

Related Words

hallmark; mark; footing, place, position, rank, standing, stature, status; benchmark, criterion, measure, par, standard, touchstone, yardstick

Other Weapons and Explosives Terms

automatic, carbine, cudgel, muzzle, rapier

cal·i·ber

noun    (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of CALIBER

: the diameter of a round or cylindrical body; especially : the internal diameter of a hollow cylinder

Variants of CALIBER

cal·i·ber or chiefly British cal·i·bre \ˈkal-ə-bər, British also kə-ˈlē-\ (audio pronunciation)