caliber

noun

cal·​i·​ber ˈka-lə-bər 

 British also  kə-ˈlē-

variants or calibre

1

a

: degree of mental capacity or moral quality

teachers of high caliber

b

: degree of excellence or importance

the caliber of instruction

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

Synonyms

• quality

Examples of caliber in a Sentence

I was impressed by the high caliber of the team's work.

musicians of the highest caliber perform at that concert hall

Recent Examples on the Web

Throughout October, Major League Baseball will find out which teams are truly championship-caliber. —Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2025

Nobu Hospitality’s arrival sets an early tone for the caliber and character of the hospitality and recreational brands expected to follow. —Mackensy Lunsford, Nashville Tennessean, 8 Oct. 2025

This is a group of 12 NHL-caliber forwards, but where they’re overmatched by the teams above them is in that second-tier depth after Barzal and Horvat. —James Mirtle, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025

Ivancevic estimates that a wrapping job that matches the caliber of her work for Swift typically costs clients between $250 to $300, with pickup and delivery. —Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French calibre "internal diameter of a cylindrical object, displacement of a gun," borrowed (by uncertain mediation) from Arabic qālab, qālib "mold for casting metal, shoemaker's last," borrowed from Greek kalapod-, kalápous, kalópous "shoemaker's last," from kâla (plural) "wood, timber" (of uncertain origin) + -a- (perhaps after tetrápous "four-footed") or -o- -o- + poús "foot" — more at foot entry 1

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 2b

Rhymes for caliber

• excalibur

Kids Definition

caliber

noun

cal·​i·​ber

variants or calibre

ˈkal-ə-bər 

1

: degree of excellence or importance

2

: the diameter of a missile (as a bullet)

3

: the inside diameter of a gun barrel

Medical Definition

caliber

noun

cal·​i·​ber

variants or chiefly British calibre

ˈkal-ə-bər, British also kə-ˈlē-

: the diameter of a round or cylindrical body

especially : the internal diameter of a hollow cylinder