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

Powell produced All-Star caliber numbers last regular season, averaging a career-high 21.8 points to go with 3.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 41.8 percent on 7.1 three-point attempts per game for the Clippers. —Miami Herald, 7 July 2025

This though neglects the importance of AGI generalization, whereby the core element is that AI of this caliber is supposed to work across all manner of domains versus specializing in a specific domain such as chess. —Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025

The dynamic range left a little to be desired when compared to pricier options, but that's to be expected in a camera of this caliber. —Kimberley Lane, Space.com, 4 July 2025

Just about every star of some A- or B-list caliber will go platinum — for a role, for the culture, for the thrill of it. —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 3 July 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