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

• class
• grade
• quality
• rate

Example Sentences

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

That gun was a different caliber than the murder weapon, prosecutors said. —Kevin Grasha, The Enquirer, 9 May 2023

While Swans Crossing isn’t located oceanfront, its waterfront location and proximity to the ocean across the street is rare for homes of this caliber. —Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 8 May 2023

Forbort might be the odd man out, but a PK unit without him still negated 39 straight power plays in the dog days of the regular season. And giving a player of Orlov’s caliber the ability to drive his own D-pair next to Connor Clifton stands as a tantalizing proposition. —Conor Ryan, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Apr. 2023

Bullet calibers are identified two ways: by fractions of an inch or in millimeters. —Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 15 Apr. 2023

Given the caliber of these materials, this chaise is on the pricier side. —Elizabeth Berry, Good Housekeeping, 30 Mar. 2023

The women’s Final Four in Dallas has a higher caliber slate: No. 1 seeds South Carolina and Virginia Tech facing No. 2 Iowa and No. 3 LSU, respectively. —Joseph Hoyt, Dallas News, 30 Mar. 2023

The watch is powered by the caliber SXH5 automatic movement. —Anthony Demarco, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023

Suddenly, the caliber is taken to a whole new level by Sweden. —Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2023

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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

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